The Valued Child. In Search of a Latent Attitude Profile that Influences the Transition to Motherhood

Abstract

In this research, a latent class analysis is used to identify latent attitude profiles that influence the transition to the first child. We argue that ideational theories, i.e. the Second Demographic Transition theory and the extended model of Planned Behaviour, often refer to a broad range of attitudes or values that are hypothesized to influence behaviour, and as such describe an attitude or value profile that inhibits vs. fosters the likelihood of motherhood. The results demonstrate the usefulness of a latent class approach and reveal that quite different latent attitude profiles may lead to an increased likelihood of motherhood. However, only one latent attitude profile clearly inhibited the hazard of a first birth, i.e. an egalitarian profile that dissociates with ''traditional'' views on familistic issues regarding marriage, children, partnership and household roles, and at the same time stresses the importance of autonomy and independence. Keywords Motherhood Á Attitude profile Á Latent class analysisRésumé Dans cette étude nous faisons appel à l'analyse en classes latentes pour identifier des profils d'attitudes latents à même d'influencer la procréation du premier enfant. A la base, une réflexion sur les théories idéationnelles telles que la théorie de la deuxième transition démographique et la théorie étendue du comportement planifié, qui se réfèrent à toute une variété d'attitudes et de valeurs exerçant une influence sur le comportement, et par conséquent à des attitudes ou systèmes de valeurs à même de réduire ou d'accroître la probabilité de procréation du premier enfant par les femmes. Les résultats démontrent l'intérêt d'une approche par profils latents et révèlent que des profils très différents peuvent conduire à une G. Moors

Gender roles and values of children: Childless Couples in East and West Germany

“…Even when socio-demographic characteristics of the couple were taken into account, ideational factors contributed to explaining the propensity of having a child, confirming findings of Bernhardt and Goldscheider (2006) for Sweden, Liefbroer (2005) for the Netherlands and Moors (2008) for North-Rhine Westphalia. In the Cox model, women's Affective score was a strong predictor of first births whereas male respondents' values of children did not exert any significant influence on the first-birth rate.…”

A life-course approach to fertility

“…This script is not only about fertility; it integrates and balances all other aspects of the life course in the preferred order. Using a latent-class methodology and panel data on family-related attitudes, Moors (2008) shows that among persons aged between 18 and 30 there are typical clusters with similar attitudes and with higher or lower levels of fertility -whatever their origin. Moors in his study ends up with six latent classes based on attitudes about the meaning of marriage and children, the importance to fulfill one's role in the family as mother or father, the division of domestic work, and the relevance of employment as a source of approval; individual autonomy and personal freedom (Moors 2008:43f).…”

The Effect of Competing Intentions and Behaviour on Short-Term Childbearing Intentions and Subsequent Childbearing

“…The data made it possible to study long-term intentions for having children. Extending her approach, Moors (2008) investigated a latent class of attitudes towards childbearing; his analysis also centres on competing attitudes rather than on competing intentions.…”