Cohabiting and Married Individuals' Relations With Their Partner's Parents

Using Norwegian survey data on partnered individuals ages 18 to 55 (N = 4,061; 31% cohabitors), the current study investigated differences across marital and cohabiting unions regarding the patterns of contact with the parents of the partner. In addition to investigating the frequency of such contact, we assessed the nature of and perceived quality of contacts with the partner's parents. The authors grouped respondents according to whether they had children with their partner and controlled for a range of selection characteristics. Results confirmed that parents with preschool children met their in‐laws more frequently than the childless, irrespective of union type. Married respondents as well as cohabitors with preschool children reported better relations with their partner's parents than childless cohabitors. Taken together, the results imply that having small children was more decisive for the relationship with the parents of the partner than getting married, particularly with regard to contact frequency.     

Parenthood and Life Satisfaction: Why Don't Children Make People Happy?

Previous research on the association between parenthood and life satisfaction has shown that parents of minor children are not more satisfied with their lives than childless people. This study addressed the question of why children do not enhance their parents' life satisfaction. A major objective of this study was to determine whether and to what extent the costs of raising children act as suppressors of life satisfaction. The empirical analysis applied fixed‐effects models and used data from the German Socio‐Economic Panel (1994–2010, N = 16,021). The 3 primary findings of this study were that (a) parenthood by itself has substantial and enduring positive effects on life satisfaction; (b) these positive effects are offset by financial and time costs of parenthood; and (c) the impact of these costs varies considerably with family factors, such as the age and number of children, marital status, and the parents' employment arrangements.     

Parenthood and dynamics of life satisfaction in times of COVID-19

We analyze data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study, including a pre-pandemic baseline and seven survey waves between May 2020 and September 2021. Fixed effects panel regression models are run over more than 11,000 individuals, distinguishing among women and men with young children (<5 years), older children (5–15 years), or no children in the household. We hypothesize that declines in life satisfaction during the first lockdown are sharper among parents, whose domestic demands increase, than among the childless. We develop competing hypotheses that parents might be resilient and have higher life satisfaction during the later phases of the pandemic (Adaptation Hypothesis) or that the pandemic stressors accumulate, leading to even lower satisfaction over time (Accumulation Hypothesis). The results only support the Accumulation Hypothesis among mothers. Whereas mothers fared comparatively well during the first lockdown, further pandemic stressors have seemingly exhausted their resilience, leading to stronger declines during the winter 2020/2021 lockdown. Among men with older children and without children, life satisfaction decreased during the first and subsequent lockdowns. Men with young children were the only group with almost unchanged life satisfaction throughout the pandemic.     

Parenthood or nonparenthood: A comparison of intentional families

A sample of the intentionally childless was compared with a sample of parents who exerted an equal amount of control over their family size by planning the number, timing, and spacing of their children. While both the childless and the parents expressed high levels of marital and life satisfaction, the intentionally childless were significantly more satisfied with their marital relationships. The childless were less conforming, had higher self-esteem, and were equally as empathic as the parents. The childless and the parents were markedly similar with regard to background factors and in their perceptions of their childhood and of their parents' relationship.The authors wish to thank Linda Gorin Sibner for helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paper.Bonnie Burman received a B.A. and a M.S.W. from UCLA. She is currently a doctoral student in clinical psychology at the University of Southern California. Diane de Anda is associate professor, School of Social Welfare, UCLA. Requests for reprints should be sent to Dr. de Anda, UCLA, School of Social Welfare, 405 N. Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA. 90024.     

Career Patterns and Family Status of Women and Men Artists

These observations are often made about women's career outcomes: (a) women, as compared to men, do not experience career outcomes that are consistent with their training and abilities, and (b) interruptions in women's careers are linked to marriage and children. The current study examined whether these patterns applied to women in art who may have more flexible paid work schedules. Women (N = 109), who trained in art, were compared to their male classmates (N = 99) 18 years after art school. Career patterns, midlife occupations, marital status, and number of children were examined. No gender differences were noted in midlife occupations, however, women experienced significantly more career discontinuity than men, and women with discontinuous careers had significantly more children than women in continuous patterns.     

Childlessness revisited: A longitudinal study of voluntarily childless couples,delayed parents,and parents

A seven-year follow-up study of couples who were voluntarily childless, delayed parents, and parents was carried out utilizing questionnaire items from the original study by the author (Bram, 1974). At the time of the follow-up, the subjects were 33 years of age and were married nine years, on the average, thus facilitating an investigation of childbearing decisions over the life cycle. Data were collected on attitudes toward children and parenthood, self-image, marriage, lifestyle, and goals. Most of the original fertility statuses and expectations have held true: over two-thirds of the Childless have remained childless and most of the Delays have had children. Although the Childless are still relatively more nontraditional than the Delays and Parents, as in the original study, there are some convergences among the groups, e.g., the Delay and Parent women have become more achievement-oriented over time. There are divergences in the development of attitudes among the Childless men and women in regard to the meaning of childlessness and the value of work. The perceived quality of life varies according to both gender and fertility status, with the Delays expressing the greatest dissatisfaction.The original study on which this follow-up was based was funded by a grant from the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations Program in Social Science, Law, and Population Policy (1972–1973). The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Elisabeth Moore, R.N., M.S., and Deborah Oakley, Ph.D. Requests for reprints should be sent to: Susan Bram, Ph.D., New York Hospital—Cornell Medical Center, Westchester Division, 21 Bloomingdale Road, White Plains, New York 10605.     

Solo-living and childless professional women: Navigating the ‘balanced mother ideal’ over the fertile years

One in five women are childless at midlife, and for an estimated 90 percent of these women, childlessness is not actively chosen. In this article, we explore how solo-living and childless professional women navigate the ‘balanced mother ideal’ over their fertile years and what this means for organizations and organization studies. Drawing on biographical narrative interview data from solo-living professional women in the UK, we argue that identifications with the balanced mother ideal change over the life course as a result of futurity, ambivalence, and suppression of negative emotions—part of the logic of both postfeminism and neoliberal feminism—and the ‘disenfranchized grief’ of contingent childlessness. At the point of late fertility, the absence of alternative social narratives to the balanced mother ideal appears to create a crisis point for childless women, including in the workplace. We conclude our article with recommendations for how organizations can better cater to the needs of this significant, yet largely silenced, demographic group.     

Childless and Bereft?: Stereotypes and Realities in Relation to ‘Voluntary’ and ‘Involuntary’ Childlessness and Womanhood

Drawing on my own personal and research experience and on the research of others I consider issues of definition, identity, support, and kinship in relation to lifecourse issues and the experience of 'voluntarily' and 'involuntarily' childless women. Motherhood is still considered to be a primary role for women and women who do not mother children (either biologically or socially) are often stereotyped as desperate or selfish. However, just as the experience of motherhood is complex and varied, so is the experience of nonmotherhood. Whereas some 'voluntarily' childless women define themselves as childfree and some 'involuntarily' childless women feel desperate some of the time, others are more ambivalent. In this article I draw on empirical work that considers the significance of ages and changes to the experience of nonmotherhood and that considers the particular and potential experience of older childless women. As well as demonstrating concerns and challenges, this work also suggests the need to challenge the caricature of the childless woman (and particularly the older childless woman) as bereft. In relation to this I extend my argument to consider both the myth that women who do not mother children of their 'own' always live a childfree life and critically evaluate the view that parenthood automatically leads to kinship support in old age.     

School children's conceptions of economics: prices,wages, investments and strikes

The understanding of various economic concepts (prices, wages, investments and strikes) by 134 British school children aged 11–16 was assessed by a questionnaire based on earlier work by Leiser (1983). Older children's concepts were more integrated, less contradictory and more comprehensive than those of younger children. However, even at 16, children had inconsistent understanding, with good comprehension in some areas and poor knowledge of others. There were negligible class differences, while several sex differences were evident, possibly linked to sex role stereotypes. The results suggest that more teaching with regard to economic concepts may be beneficial to both individuals and society.     

Childless Elders in Assisted Living: Findings from the Maryland Assisted Living Study

We compared data drawn from a random sample of 399 current assisted living residents and a subsample of 222 newly admitted residents for two groups: childless residents and residents with children. The percentage of childless residents (26%) in our study was slightly higher than U.S. population estimates of childless individuals aged 65 years and older (20%). In the overall sample, the two groups differed significantly by age, race, and women's years of education. The childless group was slightly younger, had a higher percentage of African American residents, and had more years of education than the group with children. In the subsample, we looked at demographic, functional, financial, and social characteristics and found that childless residents reported fewer diagnoses of dementia and fewer visits from a relative but more reported paying less money per month for assisted living and having private insurance than residents with children. As childlessness among older adults continues to increase, it will become increasingly important to understand how child status affects the need for and experience of long-term care.     

Health care proxies: whom do young old adults choose and why?

Dying persons are encouraged to name as durable power of attorney for health care (DPAHC) someone who will thus be empowered to make end-of-life treatment decisions for them in the event that they become incapacitated. We use data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study to investigate whether and whom older adults designate as their DPAHC. DPAHC appointments are affected by recent hospitalizations, personal beliefs (including religion, fear of death, and the belief that doctors rather than patients should control health care decisions), and personal experience with the recent painful death of a loved one. The selections of DPAHC designees are generally consistent with the hierarchical compensatory model: Married persons overwhelmingly name their spouses, while unmarried parents appoint their children. Women are more likely than men to rely on children. Parents of one or two children tend to bypass their children for another relative. Unmarried, childless persons show considerable heterogeneity in their choices. We discuss implications of these findings for health care policy and practice.     

Life Satisfaction Among Children in Different Family Structures: A Comparative Study of 36 Western Societies

This paper examines differences in life satisfaction among children in different family structures in 36 western, industrialised countries (n = 184 496). Children living with both biological parents reported higher levels of life satisfaction than children living with a single parent or parent–step‐parent. Children in joint physical custody reported significantly higher levels of life satisfaction than their counterparts in other types of non‐intact families. Controlling perceived family affluence, the difference between joint physical custody families and single mother or mother–stepfather families became non‐significant. Difficulties in communicating with parents were strongly associated with less life satisfaction but did not mediate the relation between family structure and life satisfaction. Children in the Nordic countries characterised by strong welfare systems reported significantly higher levels of life satisfaction in all living arrangements except in single father households. Differences in economic inequality between countries moderated the association between certain family structures, perceived family affluence and life satisfaction.     

Transitions,Subjective Age,Wellness, and Life Satisfaction

ABSTRACT

A study of 221 midlife women, 35 to 65 years of age, was conducted to explore the relationships among transitions, subjective age, wellness, and life satisfaction for lesbian (n= 81), bisexual (n =14), and heterosexual women (n= 126). Although the sample of bisexual women was too small to permit valid statistical analyses for this group, it is noteworthy that experiencing physical signs of aging was the most frequently experienced transition by all groups. Entry into a committed relationship was the second most frequently experienced transition by the lesbian participants, and entry into perimenopause was the second most common for heterosexuals. Lesbians whose subjective age was less than or equal to their chronological age reported greater wellness, and total wellness was a significant predictor of their life satisfaction. These findings suggest that all women experience midlife as a time of change and development, and lesbian women face specific challenges that require coping to maintain a sense of well-being during the midlife years.     

Differences in Caregiver Self-Efficacy and Satisfaction Related to Sexual Abuse of Offspring

Research suggests parents of sexually abused children may experience negative perceptions of themselves and their parenting abilities following the victimization of their children, which may influence the recovery process in treatment for these families. This study assessed perceived self-efficacy and parenting satisfaction among female caregivers of sexually abused children and female caregivers whose children were not victimized. Results indicated that caregivers of child victims had significantly lower levels of perceived parenting efficacy than their counterparts. There were no significant differences found between groups with regard to parenting satisfaction. The results highlight the importance of evaluating perceived parenting competence in the treatment of nonoffending caregivers in order to facilitate optimal treatment of the child victim and all members of the family system.     

Adult Children of Divorce: Awareness and Intervention

Parental midlife divorce impacts children who are adults at the time of the separation event. This article examines the family life cycle and stages as well as the transitions that occur when parents divorce at midlife. Specifically, the divorce impacts on the adult children are examined in relation to their unique life stage. Therapeutic practice implications and theories will also be explored in relation to assisting adult children of divorce reconcile the divorce experience of their parents.     

Life satisfaction in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

OBJECTIVES: To examine the levels of life satisfaction for patients with chronic obstructive disease (COPD) and to explore the relationships between life satisfaction, lung function, walking distance test/exercise capacity and quality of life. STUDY DESIGN: The population comprised 91 patients with COPD, 28 patients with COPD using long term oxygen therapy (LTOT) and a reference group (R) of 150 healthy individuals. Before the study, a number of the COPD patients had been tested with regard to spirometry, walking distance and quality of life using the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ). All subjects filled in an eight-item checklist on levels of life satisfaction. RESULTS: Significantly lower levels of satisfaction were reported by both patient groups than the R group for satisfaction with life as a whole and satisfaction derived from vocational/occupational situation, sexual life and ADL, and by the LTOT group, furthermore, also with family life. Only 10% of the patients were satisfied with their health. The LTOT group reported significantly lower levels of satisfaction than the COPD group for life as a whole, satisfaction with their vocational/occupational situation, leisure, ADL situation and their satisfaction with family life and partnership relation. Factor analyses demonstrated different patterns between the R group and the patient group. No correlation was found between satisfaction with life as a whole and lung function parameters whereas three of the CRQ dimensions; emotional function, fatigue and mastery correlateded significicantly with satisfaction with life as a whole and several of the domains. No relationships was found between satisfaction with life as a whole or any of the domains and the CRQ dimension dyspnea. CONCLUSIONS: The low levels of satisfaction with life as a whole, in addition to low levels of satisfaction with several domains, indicate that the majority of the patients had not managed to cope successfully with the consequences of their impairment. More attention must, thus, be given to these patients in the rehabilitation work.     

Comparative Study of Life Quality Between Migrant Children and Local Students in Small and Medium-Sized Cities in China

Every child deserves a fair chance in life. However, migrant children are at higher risk of developing mental health problems. The problem of migrant children who have left their hukou registration place for 6 months or longer with their parents from rural areas to cities in China has become a unique social issue in the social transformation of China. However, even up to this day, little is known about life satisfaction of migrant children in small and medium-sized cities. To investigate the current situation of migrant children’s life satisfaction, several scales including Chinese Adolescent Students’ Life Satisfaction Questionnaire, Social Economic Status Scale, Social Support Rating Scale and big five inventory were used to obtain data on 142 migrant children and 165 local primary school students. Results showed that migrant children’s life satisfaction was significantly lower when compared to local non-migrant students. The study also highlighted that subjective and objective support, utilization of support, conscientiousness and parent’s educational level were predictive factors of life satisfaction. Migrant children’ life satisfaction was not optimistic and social support was significantly influencing factors of migrant children’s life satisfaction, so they need a support system of government, school, community, family to help them through difficulties.     

Parenthood and Marital Satisfaction: A Meta‐Analytic Review

This meta‐analysis finds that parents report lower marital satisfaction compared with nonparents (d=?.19, r=?.10). There is also a significant negative correlation between marital satisfaction and number of children (d=?.13, r=?.06). The difference in marital satisfaction is most pronounced among mothers of infants (38% of mothers of infants have high marital satisfaction, compared with 62% of childless women). For men, the effect remains similar across ages of children. The effect of parenthood on marital satisfaction is more negative among high socioeconomic groups, younger birth cohorts, and in more recent years. The data suggest that marital satisfaction decreases after the birth of a child due to role conflicts and restriction of freedom.     

The Emotional Environment of Families Experiencing Chronic Poverty in India

The emotional environment of families living in chronic poverty in India was explored. We hypothesized that the poor (when compared to the nonpoor) would report more aversive interaction and would report less family and life satisfaction. Results showed partial support for our hypotheses. Poor husbands expressed love to wives in fewer ways than the nonpoor men, and they were more likely to use physical or verbal abuse with wives and children. Poor wives showed anger more frequently to husbands and children than the nonpoor wives. However, there were no differences between the poor and the nonpoor on family and life satisfaction. Thus, income alone was not a sufficient predictor of the family's emotional environment.     

Self-Defined Retirement Status and Engagement in Paid Work among Older Working-Age Women: Comparison between Childless Women and Mothers

Utilizing data from the 1992–1994 Health and Retirement Study (HRS), this paper examines the question of whether three groups of older working-age women—childless women, mothers with at least one child at home or temporarily away at school, and mothers with all their children living away from home—were different or similar in their likelihood of retirement and their actual work status. The results show that the childless group and the child-not-at-home group were more likely than the child-at-home group to define themselves as retired, although the three groups were equally likely to engage in paid work activities. Both early childbearing history and ongoing parental financial obligations appear to influence women's willingness to assume a retiree versus a nonretiree status. The findings may reflect an emerging trend of retirement being a status symbol rather than a marker of complete cessation from the world of work.