A Scale of Motivation for Parenthood: The Index of Parenthood Motivation

Summary

The development of an Index of Parenthood Motivation is described and the results of two studies employing the Index are reported. It is concluded that the Index is useful as a measure of intensity of parenthood motivation as well as an assessment of important categories of motivation. Scores on the Index were significantly related to memories of early parental nurturance, to happiness of early family life, and to present identification with an organized religion for both late adolescent and young adult subjects, and with traditional feminine sex-role identification for late adolescent female subjects.