Understanding the reasons for parenthood

Abstract

There have been considerable changes in childbearing decision‐making in the West over the last 50 years. These changes have produced a concern with understanding and predicting fertility change amongst demographers, sociologists, and psychologists. This paper presents findings from a survey (n = 897) of a representative sample of white married couples in the UK currently without children. Gender differences are examined across a wide range of reasons for and against parenthood. A scale of the reasons for parenthood is developed in order to predict intentions to have a child. An 11‐reason scale best predicts classification into intenders and non‐intenders for both men and women. Only two demographic variables, age and marital length, also discriminate between intenders and non‐intenders and these variables have both a direct and indirect effect on intentions. Most importantly for those interested in effecting behavioural change, reasons for parenthood significantly improve classification beyond that of demographic variables alone.