Value of Children and the social production of welfare

This study investigated fertility decision-making in people currently trying to conceive, and examined whether factors that make people ready to conceive differ by gender and country. The study used data from the International Fertility Decision-Making Study, a cross-sectional study of 10,045 participants (1690 men and 8355 women) from 79 countries. Respondents were aged 18–50 years (mean 31.8 years), partnered and had been trying to conceive for > 6 months (mean 2.8 years). Respondents indicated their need for parenthood; their own/partner's desire for a child; and the influence of certain preconditions, motivational forces and subjective norms in relation to readiness to conceive. Factor analysis of preconditions and motivational forces revealed four decisional factors: social status of parents, economic preconditions, personal and relational readiness, and physical health and child costs. Significant gender differences were found for desire for a child, decisional factors and subjective norms. Compared with men, women had higher personal desire for a child, and rated economic and personal and relational readiness as more influential. Men were more likely to rate subjective norms and social status of parents as more influential. Country comparisons found significant differences in personal desire for a child, partner's desire for a child, need for parenthood, preconditions, motivational forces and subjective norms. The results demonstrate that some decisional factors have a universal association with starting families (e.g. desire for a child), whilst the influence of others (e.g. personal and relational readiness) is dependent on contextual factors. These findings support the need for contemporary, prospective and international research on reproductive decision-making, and emphasize the need for effective fertility policies to take contextual factors into account.

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“…economic utility) that adds to the well-being of the family (e.g. Nauck, 2014 ). The present results would seem to support this proposal.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What makes people ready to conceive? Findings from the International Fertility Decision-Making Study

Boivin

Buntin

Kalebic

et al. 2018

Reproductive Biomedicine & Society Online

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“…Theories and research highlight the importance of examining both negative and positive dimensions of parenting experiences. In research spanning from positive and negative emotions and affect regulation (Dickerson et al, 2004;Zautra 2003), in resilience research (Windle, 2010;Zautra et al, 2010), and in research specific to the parenting role (Hoffman & Hoffman, 1973;Hoffman & Manis, 1979;Nauck, 2014), the significance of both positive and negative dimensions in understanding the complexity of human experiences is apparent. For several decades, theories including the value of children (Hoffman & Manis, 1979;Nauck, 2014) and resilience-focused child development literature (Luthar, 2006) have emphasised the importance of moving away from purely deficit-based models, to examining both the positive and negative factors that influence the experience of parenting and child outcomes.…”

Section: Role Of Parentingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the Parental Stress Scale With a Foster Carer Cohort

et al. 2020

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Objective Using a cohort of foster and kin carers, the research examined the underlying factor structure of the Parental Stress Scale (PSS; Berry & Jones, 1995). A hypothesized underlying two‐dimensional theoretical model was explored. Background With the growing demands on the foster care system, including poor retention and recruitment of foster carers, there is an urgent need to explore the positive and negative factors that may influence carers continued engagement in the role. Method The factor structure of the PSS was examined in a sample of foster and kin carers in Australia (N = 324). The PSS consists of 10 statements addressing stressful aspects of parenting and eight statements addressing satisfying aspects of parenting. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) explored the underlying theoretical structure of the scale as determined by the developers. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to confirm whether four factors would sustain reduction to a two‐dimensional (satisfaction–stress) model. Results EFA and CFA supported a two‐dimensional moderately correlated model measuring parent stress and parent satisfaction. The Parent Stress Index IV Short Form provided concurrent validity for the PSS stress subscale and previous analyses have also identified the strength of these dimensions over time, cohorts, and contexts. Conclusion The current study supports using the subscale scores in research with foster carers and potentially other populations to better capture both stress and rewards and satisfaction related to their parenting role. Implications Application of the PSS subscales can assess interactions or moderating effects of parenting in specific cohorts, making the PSS a valuable instrument to examine the balance between stress and reward for parents, foster parents and others who are “parenting” children.

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“…One of these is the transition of a couple to becoming parents and forming a parent-child relationship. The social value of the child describes what it means to be a child and to be parents in a social context (see Hoffman and Hoffman 1973;Arnold et al 1975;Nag et al 1978;Vlassoff and Vlassoff 1980;Mathews 1986;Bühler 2008;Nauck 2014). In this sense, postpartum is an important period that ritualises early childhood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Postpartum Tradition of Sawa Mahina in Rural Punjab, Pakistan

Qamar

2017

Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics

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The Punjabi postpartum tradition is called sawa mahina (‘five weeks’). This study investigates infant health care belief practices in rural Punjab and looks at the social significance of infant care beliefs practiced during sawa mahina. During six months of fieldwork, using participant observation and unstructured interviews as primary research methods, the study explored the prevalent postpartum tradition from a childcare perspective. A Punjabi child holds a social value regarding familial, religious, and emotional values. The five-week traditional postpartum period provides an insight into mother-child attachment, related child care belief practices, and the social construction of infancy. A child’s agency is recognised in the embodied mother-child relationship, and a child is seen in a sympathetic connection with the mother. Establishing an early foundation of ascribed identities is another important part of postpartum belief practices.

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Value of Children and the social production of welfare

Cited by 52 publications

References 49 publications

What makes people ready to conceive? Findings from the International Fertility Decision-Making Study

What makes people ready to conceive? Findings from the International Fertility Decision-Making Study

Understanding the Parental Stress Scale With a Foster Carer Cohort

The Postpartum Tradition of Sawa Mahina in Rural Punjab, Pakistan

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