Motivation to Become a Parent and Parental Satisfaction: The Mediating Effect of Psychological Needs Satisfaction

Ross-Plourde, Mylène; Basque, D.

doi:10.1177/0192513x19836458

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Our findings are consistent with literature emphasizing autonomous motivation (e.g., Brenning et al, 2015; Katz et al, 2014; Nachoum et al, 2021; Ross‐Plourde & Basque, 2019) and competence as crucial factors for optimal development and effective parenting (e.g., Chau & Giallo, 2015; Egeli & Rinaldi, 2016). As for controlled motivation, our study corresponds with Soenens and Vansteenkiste's (2010) claim that parents tend to be controlling when they themselves feel pressured or forced.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Research has consistently shown that autonomous childbearing motivation predicts better parental functioning and psychological health. Autonomous childbearing motivation has been associated with a greater sense of vitality during pregnancy (Brenning et al, 2015), greater postpartum parental competence (Ross‐Plourde & Basque, 2019), and lower levels of postpartum depression (Gauthier et al, 2010; Nachoum & Kanat‐Maymon, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Parents' childbearing motivations, parenting, and child adjustment: From pregnancy to20‐monthspostpartum

Nachoum

Moed

Madjar

et al. 2023

J of Marriage and Family

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ObjectiveGuided by Self‐Determination Theory, the study explored how maternal and paternal prenatal childbearing motivations relate to toddlers' adjustment via parental competence and parenting style.BackgroundAlthough considerable research shows consistent effects of parenting styles on child adjustment, why some parents adopt any specific style is unclear. To explore this, two broad types of childbearing motivations (autonomous and controlled) were conceptualized as early markers of parental competence, specific parenting styles, and subsequent child adjustment.MethodOne‐hundred and fifty‐five married, heterosexual, Israeli couples (N = 310) participated in a 2‐year longitudinal study from pregnancy through 20 months postpartum. Childbearing motivations were measured during pregnancy (T1), parental competence at 4 months postpartum (T2), and parenting styles and child behavior problems at 20 months postpartum (T3).ResultsA dyadic longitudinal path model revealed that childbearing motivations of both parents were positively associated with an adaptive, authoritative parenting style via parental competence. Moderate indirect effects of controlled childbearing motivations on toddlers' behavior problems were evident through the less adaptive—authoritarian and permissive—parenting styles.ConclusionThis study underscores the importance of childbearing motivations as early indicators of future parenting styles and child adjustment and sheds light on parenting as a complex dyadic process.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parents' childbearing motivations, parenting, and child adjustment: From pregnancy to20‐monthspostpartum

Nachoum

Moed

Madjar

et al. 2023

J of Marriage and Family

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“…Brenning et al (2015) showed that expecting mothers’ autonomous motivation for parenthood was related to their prenatal well-being with need satisfaction playing a mediating role in this association. Ross-Plourde and Basque (2019) similarly found that associations between autonomous motivation for the parental role and postnatal satisfaction were mediated by satisfaction of the basic psychological needs. No research to date, however, has examined this mediation sequence using a more complete measure of parental identity (including both commitment strength and quality of motivation) and in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

Section: Parental Identity As a Source Of Resiliencementioning

confidence: 93%

Parental identity as a resource for parental adaptation during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Schrooyen

Soenens

Waterschoot

et al. 2021

Journal of Family Psychology

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The lockdown measures that were taken to contain the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 caused many parents to stay at home with their children. This unusual situation created both risks and opportunities for families. In the current study, we examined the role of parental identity as a resource for parental adaptation during this challenging period, thereby considering both parenthood experiences and parents' general mental health while also taking into account the cumulative risk to which parents were exposed (e.g., single parenthood). Further, to shed light on the mechanisms behind the effects of parental identity, this study addressed the mediating role of parental satisfaction of their basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. During the lockdown period in Belgium, 492 parents (88% mothers, Mage = 44 years, 63.7% in intact family, 31.2% with a university degree) completed online questionnaires on parental identity, need-based experiences, positive and negative parenthood experiences, and mental health. Several weeks earlier, these participants also rated their mental health and a variety of risks they were exposed to as part of a larger study. Results showed that a clear and self-endorsed parental identity was related to better parental adaptation, with parental need satisfaction playing a mediating role in these associations. Moreover, these associations remained significant after controlling for prior levels of parental mental health and for cumulative risk. Overall, findings suggest that parental identity serves as a source of resilience in an uncertain period such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

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“…Nachoum and Kanat-Maymon (2018) also found evidence of a dyadic effect, such that postpartum depressive symptoms were not only attributed to an individual’s own childbearing motivation but also to the spouse’s motivation. Recent studies have also reported that autonomous childbearing motivation is related to women’s prenatal well-being (Brenning et al, 2015) and to parents’ higher satisfaction with parental roles 2 months postpartum (Ross-Plourde & Basque, 2019).…”

Section: Sdt: Autonomous Versus Controlled Motivationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prenatal childbearing motivations, parenting styles, and child adjustment: A longitudinal study.

Nachoum¹,

Moed²,

Madjar³

et al. 2021

Journal of Family Psychology

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To have a child is among individuals' most important and meaningful decisions, with far-reaching implications. Despite evidence linking this decision to a wide variety of consequences, little is known about what motivates people to have children, and even less so about the long-term effects of different childbearing motivations on parenting and child adjustment. This study took a self-determination theory (SDT) perspective, examining how prenatal maternal autonomous and controlled childbearing motivations are related to child behavior problems through parenting styles. The rationale was that prenatal autonomous (sense of volition and self-fulfillment) and controlled (feeling pressured) childbearing motivations would shape later parental styles (autonomy-supportive vs. controlling, respectively) and, consequently, child adjustment. Over a period of 2 years beginning at pregnancy, 326 Israeli mothers reported their prenatal childbearing motivations, as well as parental styles and child behavior problems 20 months postpartum. Results of a path analysis revealed that prenatal autonomous childbearing motivation predicted autonomysupportive parenting, yet the latter was not associated with children's behavior problems. Prenatal controlled motivation predicted controlling parenting, which, in turn, predicted children's internalizing and externalizing problems. No direct effects of childbearing motivation on children's behavior problems are observed, suggesting that childbearing motivation is a distal antecedent operating through more proximal factors such as parenting style. Findings were robust to children's temperamental tendencies and sociodemographic risk factors such as maternal age, high-risk pregnancy, and preterm birth. These findings have theoretical and practical implications for the discourse on motivations underlying the childbearing decision and their effects on parenting and child adjustment.

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Motivation to Become a Parent and Parental Satisfaction: The Mediating Effect of Psychological Needs Satisfaction

Cited by 7 publications

References 20 publications

Parents' childbearing motivations, parenting, and child adjustment: From pregnancy to20‐monthspostpartum

Parents' childbearing motivations, parenting, and child adjustment: From pregnancy to20‐monthspostpartum

Parental identity as a resource for parental adaptation during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Prenatal childbearing motivations, parenting styles, and child adjustment: A longitudinal study.

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