Retrospective View of Familial Relationships and Childbearing Intentions

Izabela Huczewska , University of Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski in Warsaw, Institute of Psychology
Monika Mynarska , Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw

Childbearing decisions are influenced by a range of psychological factors and many of them are associated with early life-course experiences in the family of origin (e.g., childhood stress or father absence). Still, however, relatively little is known about how relationships with other family members in childhood contribute to decision about having or not having children. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigate how fulfilling caregiving responsibilities towards family members in childhood and the perceived quality of relationships in the family of origin impact childbearing intentions in adulthood. We use data collected in Poland in 2021. The stratified, random sample consisted of 384 childless men and women, aged 20-35. Participants completed a set of self-report retrospective measures on their childhood experiences and the Childbearing Questionnaire to capture their childbearing motivations, desires, and intentions. We performed mediation analyses to reconstruct the motivational sequence from childbearing motivations through desires to intentions (as conceptualized in the TDIB model of reproductive decision-making, by Warren Miller). This way we are able to detect direct and indirect effects of early life-course experiences on intentions. Our preliminary results indicate that both explanatory variables considered in the study had a positive effect on childbearing intentions, but mechanisms of their impact differ. Fulfilling caregiving responsibilities in one’s family of origin impacts childbearing intentions directly but also indirectly (though childbearing motivations and desires). Positive perception of one’s family of origin has only an indirect effect.

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 Presented in Session P1. Postercafe