In the past two decades there has been a significant increase in adolescent pregnancy and childbearing across North America. Research has shown that both mother and child remain at high risk for physical, psychological, social, and economic consequences of premature parenthood and its accelerated role transition. Although considerable research has examined adolescent parenthood, the literature lacks theoretical integration. The stress and coping model is proposed as a theoretical context to explain development outcomes of adolescent motherhood. This model suggests that diminished psychological and social coping resources of adolescent mothers influence negative parent-child interactions and result in ineffective parenting behaviours concomitant with parenting stress, thus increasing the likelihood of high risk outcomes for both parents and children.