Pathways to Parenthood in Social and Family Contexts: Decade in Review, 2020

Abstract

Whether, and under what circumstances, people become parents has implications for individual identity, family relationships, the well‐being of adults and children, and population growth and age structure. Understanding the factors that influence pathways to parenthood is central to the study of families and can inform policies aimed at changing childbearing behaviors. This review summarizes recent trends in fertility as well as research on the predictors and correlates of childbearing, with a focus on the United States and on research most relevant to family scholars. U.S. fertility has declined in recent years, perhaps reflecting the influence of the Great Recession and increasing economic inequality, and there is growing divergence in behaviors across social class. Scholars of childbearing have developed theories to better understand how childbearing is shaped by life course processes and social contexts, but more work is needed to understand group differentials, refine measurement and theories, and better integrate men and couples. Childbearing research has important implications for social policy, but the application of research to policy is hindered by ideological factors.

Cohabitation and Marriage: Complexity and Diversity in Union‐Formation Patterns

“…Most births occur within marriage, but the rise in nonmarital cohabitation has complicated the connection between union formation and fertility (Guzzo & Hayford, ). This is particularly the case in the United States, given public policies designed to encourage marriage; about 60% of births during the past decades were to married women, although the proportions experiencing births outside of marital unions varies widely by race and ethnicity (Hummer & Hamilton, ).…”

Limited detraditionalization of intimacy: Growing socioeconomic differences in contraceptive use at first intercourse in Italy

“…In the following discussion, we use the labels of "more advantaged" and "disadvantaged" young people to refer to the respective socioeconomic status of their family of origin. Rather than attempting to decompose social background effects such as parental class, parental status and parental education (Bukodi and Goldthorpe, 2013), we follow research in the field of contraception in assuming that "more advantaged" young people have parents with overall higher levels of resources in terms of education, occupation and income than young people from "disadvantaged" backgrounds (Guzzo and Hayford, 2020). Because the different dimensions of social background are empirically highly correlated, we assume that either one reasonably reflects differences in young people's social positions in respect of potential differences in contraceptive use.…”

“…Empirical research on reproductive pathways provides evidence for drivers behind socioeconomic differences in contraceptive use. While differences in norms about parenthood and childbearing do not seem to explain socioeconomic differences in behavior, four intervening factors can be identified that affect the ability to adhere to those norms for young people from different socioeconomic backgrounds (Guzzo and Hayford, 2020): 1) knowledge about, comfort with, and trust in contraception and family planning service providers, 2) access to contraception, 3) efficacy, and 4) connection between norms and individual perceptions.…”

Families Across the Income Spectrum: A Decade in Review

“…Although families overall are increasingly diverse, research in this decade continued to focus on the distinctly different patterns in the United States between those with more resources and education and those with less (Cherlin, ; Guzzo & Hayford, ; Smock & Schwartz, ). People with college degrees and higher incomes are more likely to get married, be married when they have children, and stay married.…”