"Differences in Perceived Social Support, Life Satisfaction and Psychological Well-Being in Parents and “Childfree” Individuals"

Abstract

More and more women and men are postponing the age of childbearing due to lack of stability and changing life preferences. Other people, however, consciously decide not to have children because it is not their desire to have children. The literature recognises this group of people as "Childfree" individuals. Several studies have analyzed the influence that some socio-demographic variables such as income, employment status, educational level, etc, have on the decision to become parents. However, few studies have focused on analyzing which psychological variables are involved in this decisión. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to analyze the differences in perceived social support, life satisfaction and psychological well-being between those who are parents and those who have made the decision not to become parents ("Childfree"). The sample of the study consisted of 145 participants between 25 and 45 years of age (M = 37,46, DT = 4,99), residents of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. Of these, 134 were women and the remaining 11 were men. The participants were divided into two groups: those who had children (women = 100, men =5) and those who were childfree by choice (women = 34, men = 6). The results showed significant diferences between groups, where parents obtained a greater satisfaction with life in comparison to childfree individuals. In addition, it was also observed that the participants who had children reported higher scores in the dimensions Self-Acceptance, Mastery of the Environment and Purpose in Life, of the psychological well being, than those who were childfree.