The support group impact on enhancing the self-worth of women who terminated a pregnancy in adolescence

Background: Terminating a pregnancy can be a traumatic life event, resulting in negative emotions that can diminish women’s self-worth. Support from different sources, including health support groups, could be beneficial in restoring a woman’s self-worth. This article aimed to present findings on th...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Botshelo R. Sebola, Patrone R. Risenga
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2023-12-01
Series:South African Family Practice
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Online Access:https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5707
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Summary:Background: Terminating a pregnancy can be a traumatic life event, resulting in negative emotions that can diminish women’s self-worth. Support from different sources, including health support groups, could be beneficial in restoring a woman’s self-worth. This article aimed to present findings on the impact of a support group intervention on the self-worth of women who terminated a pregnancy in adolescence. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive approach, using in-depth, semi-structured interviews, was used to collect data. Thematic analysis guided the data analysis. Results: Five themes emerged from the data: reasons for joining the support group; enhanced emotional and physical wellbeing; self-forgiveness; spiritual growth and participants’ voices. Conclusion: Participants described why they needed to join the support group. It became clear that the intercession was effective in the short term as it enhanced participants’ self-worth by encouraging them to accept themselves thereby altering their self-condemning emotions, replacing them with self-love. Contribution: The study recommends that a support group should be considered as a backup for women who terminated a pregnancy and have lost their self-worth.
ISSN:2078-6190
2078-6204