Sociology, Department of
Document Type
Article
Citation
Published in Journal of Marriage and Family 81 (October 2019), pp 1162–1173.
doi 10.1111/jomf.12595
Abstract
Objective: To determine whether the association between changes in life satisfaction and becoming a mother (or not) depends on fertility problem identification status.
Background: Evidence and symbolic interactionist theory suggest that, for women who initially perceive a fertility barrier, gaining the valued identity “mother” should be associated with increases and continuing to face a blocked goal (i.e., not becoming a mother) should be associated with decreases in life satisfaction.
Method: This study used the nationally representative two-wave National Survey of Fertility Barriers to conduct a change-score analysis with chained multiple imputation. The focal dependent variable was change in life satisfaction. Focal independent variables were Wave 1 life satisfaction, fertility problem identification status, and birth between waves, controlling for stability and change in relationship status, talking to a doctor about how to get pregnant, religiosity, social support, importance of parenthood, importance of leisure, importance of work success, and economic hardship.
Results: Among women who perceived a fertility problem at both waves, becoming a mother was associated with increased life satisfaction and not becoming a mother was associated with decreased life satisfaction. Women who gained or lost a fertility problem perception between waves but did not have a live birth experienced a gain in life satisfaction between waves, suggesting the relevance of the duration of fertility problem perception for change in life satisfaction.
Included in
Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling Commons, Social Psychology and Interaction Commons
Comments
Copyright © 2019 National Council on Family Relations; published by Wiley-Blackwell. Used by permission.