From Crisis to Healing and Reconnection: A Narrative Inquiry into the Intergenerational Transmission of Teenage Pregnancy in St. Maarten, Caribbean

Abstract : This narrative inquiry explored and examined the lived experiences of eight paired mothers and daughters (16) who have experienced teen pregnancy on the Island of Sint Maarten, Caribbean. Through structured interviews, the study aimed to look at the various patterns that are contributors to the phenomena of Intergenerational transmission of teenage pregnancy: the family dynamics of the participants, their communication patterns and the coping methods both resorted to when navigating the challenges of early motherhood. The narrative inquiry revealed five resonant threads that were common in the various stories shared by the participants: (1) Confronting the Emotional landscape of Teenage Pregnancy, (2) Anger and Disappointment Transformed to Emphatic Words, Attitudes and behaviors, (3) Shifting Family Dynamics, (4) Two Way Communication Across the Generations and (5) Establishing and Sustaining a supportive Network of Support Across the Generations. The study highlights the importance of quality family communication and relational adaptability coupled with ample education for both mothers and daughters. Hence, with the right attitude in the face of the pregnancy, the relationship of the mother and daughter improved significantly, depicting healing and reconnection, positive attitudes and behaviors, and better coping methods and strategies. This paper highlights a new perspective about the experiences associated with the transmission of intergenerational pregnancy by depicting while teenage pregnancy plunges the mother-daughter relationship into a state of crisis and disconnection, through proper adaptive strategies, the mother-daughter relationship experiences healing and reconnection.