Predicting overall life satisfaction: The role of life cycle and social psychological antecedents

Assessments of subjective well-being have been guided by a diversity of assumptions about overall life satisfaction's antecedents. Need hierarchy, affect, discrepancies between aspiration and attainment, and feelings of personal efficacy have all been suggested to be important predictors of satisfaction. But social psychological antecedents of satisfaction, such as indices of alienation, have heretofore not been considered, despite their link to the sociological tradition. These analyses suggest that for 1423 rural Wisconsinites, feelings of alienation are important predictors of overall life satisfaction. However, the impact of each of the two dimensions of alienation considered here varies with the respondent's position in the life cycle. Implications of these findings for research on life satisfaction are noted.     

Divorce in the family life cycle

"We present the results of [a] study conducted in the years 1986-1988 in three big cities in Poland.... The sample population consisted of persons who divorced in the years 1983-1984....[The focus is on] a detailed evaluation of the sources of divorce and a discussion of the determinants, in relation to the family life cycle. The paper constitutes an attempt at an interdisciplinary approach to the phenomenon of divorce; the approach combines demographic and sociological perspectives."     

Family formation and the life cycle

Mathematical expressions are developed for certain life cycles when only the age-specific birth and death rates are known. The probability at birth that a woman will have a specified number of children and the expected length of time spent before the first birth, between the first and the last child, and between the last child and the time of the woman's death are shown to be calculable. Expressions for the probability of at least one child outliving the mother and for the expected number of children outliving the mother are also developed and are evaluated for three selected countries with different birth and death rates to show how these life cycles depend on birth and death rates.     

Expression and ambivalence over expression of negative emotion: cross-sectional associations with psychosocial factors and health-related quality of life in postmenopausal women

Inhibition of emotional expression has been associated with the incidence and progression of breast cancer and other chronic illnesses. The important health-related factor, however, may be ambivalence about the expression of emotions rather than repression itself. This cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from 159,557 participants in the Women's Health Initiative examined the influence of expression of negative emotion and ambivalence about expression of emotion on psychosocial factors and health-related quality of life measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short-form 36 (SF-36). Overall, observed correlations were modest but in the expected direction; that is, greater ambivalence about negative emotional expression was associated with worse general health and poorer psychosocial risk profile. Ambivalence about expressing negative emotion was more highly correlated with psychosocial factors and health-related quality of life than emotional expression. In general, our analysis supports prior studies suggesting that ambivalence may be more important to consider in studies of health-related outcomes than expression.     

Paternal involvement with adolescents in intact families: The influence of fathers over the life course

We measure the quality and quantity of fathers’ involvement with adolescent children in intact families over time using longitudinal data from The National Survey of Children. We examine differentials in fathers’ involvement by children’s and family characteristics and model the long-term effects of fathers’ involvement on children’s outcomes in the transition to adulthood. Fathers are more involved with sons than with daughters and they disengage from adolescents with increasing marital conflict. We find beneficial effects for children of father’s involvement in three domains: educational and economic attainment, delinquent behavior, and psychological well-being. The course of affective relations throughout adolescence also has a beneficial effect on delinquent behavior and psychological well-being.     

New approaches in studying the life cycle of the family

Demography - Métodos revisados y nuevas fuenies de datos para estudiar el ciclo de vida de la familia permiten medir con mayor exactitud la edad típica en que ocurren los hechos en dicho...     

Behaviour and the life cycle: a consideration of the role of longitudinal time use studies

This paper discusses the application of time use data for the study of behavioural change over the life cycle. The longitudinal design reduces the need for complex statistical controls and sample matching procedures and simplifies the problem of distinguishing period effects from cohort and development effects.The data are based upon 24 hour time diaries of a panel of 453 persons in Halifax, Canada who were interviewed on the same day of the week in the Fall of both 1971 and 1981. Data for each gender are presented illustrative of the kinds of changes in time use which might be associated with aging or with changes in occupational, financial, educational, or familial status. Cross-sectional time use data from different periods can be used in conjunction with the longitudinal time use data to differentiate between behavioural change based upon maturation or other individual changes and that deriving from a broader base of cultural change.     

Sex differences in life cycle measures of widowhood

Using formulas which measure life cycle characteristics of widowhood as a function of life table survivorship and age at marriage, we illustrate changes in patterns of widowhood and widowerhood since 1950, as well as differences by race, by age of bride and of groom, and by age differences between spouses. Although the current inequality in the risks of widowhood and widowerhood for the average couple is mostly due to sex differences in mortality, a one year age difference between spouses has about the same impact as does a one year difference in life expectancy. Calculations based on current distributions of age of groom by age of bride indicate that the older the age of groom, the greater the age difference between spouses and the higher the likelihood of a woman outliving her husband: the typical groom who marries in his fifties faces a 4 to 1 chance that he will be outlived by his spouse.     

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on perinatal mental health in Spain: Positive and negative outcomes

BackgroundPrevious studies have shown that perinatal distress has a negative influence on pregnancy outcome and the physiological development of the baby.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to describe the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal perinatal mental health in Spain.MethodsSeven hundred and twenty-four women (N = 450 pregnancy, N = 274 postpartum) were recruited online during the pandemic. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Satisfaction With Life Scale were administered. Variables related to sociodemographic information, the COVID-19 pandemic, and perinatal care were also assessed.FindingsThe results showed that 58% of women reported depressive symptoms. Moreover, 51% of women reported anxiety symptoms. On the other hand, a regression analysis for life satisfaction showed that besides the perception about their own health, marital status or being a health practitioner were also significant predictors during pregnancy. However, perception about baby’s health and sleep, perception about their own health, and marital status were significant predictors of life satisfaction during the postpartum stage.DiscussionWomen assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic reported high rates of psychological distress.ConclusionThese results highlight the need of clinical support during this period. Knowing the routes to both distress and well-being may help maternity services to effectively cope with the pandemic.     

Expression and ambivalence over expression of negative emotion:psychometric analysis in the Women's Health Initiative

Inhibition of emotional expression has been associated with the incidence and progression of breast cancer and other chronic illnesses. Others have theorized that it may not be repression itself, but rather ambivalence over the expression of emotions that is the important health-related factor. The Women's Health Initiative (WHI), a long-term, national study focusing on disease prevention among postmenopausal women, is unique in its assessment of expression and ambivalence of negative emotion in a large study sample of multiethnic, older women. Psychological factors such as expression of negative emotion and ambivalence about expression of emotion are also determined by social patterning. The current study examined the psychometric properties of the instruments used to measure each construct and variation across race/ethnicity and age. The analysis suggests that the scales can be used with confidence in diverse ethnic and age groups. Examining ambivalence about expression of negative emotion in future longitudinal research will further elucidate its role in predicting disease incidence and recovery, both important in reducing the public health burden of chronic disease.     

The unintended effects of cash transfers on fertility: evidence from the Safe Motherhood Scheme in India

India launched the Safe Motherhood Scheme (Janani Suraksha Yojana or JSY) in 2005 in response to persistently high maternal and child mortality rates. JSY provides a cash incentive to socioeconomically disadvantaged women for childbirth at health facilities. This study explores some unintended consequences of JSY. Using data from two large household surveys, we examine a policy variation that exploits the differential incentive structure under JSY across states and population subgroups. We find that JSY may have resulted in a 2.5–3.5 percentage point rise in the probability of childbirth or pregnancy over a 3-year period in states already experiencing high population growth.     

Mother's professional career versus reproductive behaviour in the family life cycle

A nationally representative survey of 2753 urban married women aged 20-54 years was conducted in 1989 in Poland. The family life cycle is described as family formation stage (first child is born), family development stage, family stabilization stage (last child is born and first child leaves home), and family shrinking stage (all children leave home). The sample included 69.1% in the family development stage, 20.2% in the stabilization stage, and 10.7% in the shrinking stage. Employment of women increased from 81.1% during the development stage to 89.9% during the stabilization stage. Labor force activity increased over time. The highest professional activity was 93% during the first stabilization stage. Only 5.6% of the sampled women had never worked. 54.8% had worked continually without breaks. Differences in parity among working and nonworking mothers changed over the life cycle. The parity of working mothers during the development stage was 1.85 compared to 2.12 among nonworking mothers. During the stabilization stage parity was 1.87 among working mothers and 2.57 among nonworking mothers. During the shrinking stage, parity was 2.57 among working mothers and 3.23 among nonworking mothers. The average number of children decreases in subsequent cohorts. The average number of children was 2.83 for cohorts married after 1959, 2.25 for cohorts married during 1960-69, and 2.08 for cohorts married during 1970-79. Birth decreases by cohort were quicker among working mothers. The difference between first and last cohort was 0.55 children for working mothers and 0.89 children for nonworking mothers. For all families of working and nonworking mothers in all cohorts and at all family life cycle stages, parity decreased with increased level of education. Little change occurred among mothers who never worked (inactive mothers). Working mothers' families completed reproduction 30 months earlier than inactive mothers. The entire reproductive period shortened between the first and last cohort from 100.4 months to 48.8 months. The differences between working and nonworking mothers reproductive years declined from about 3 years to about 2 years between the first and last cohort. The probability of bearing subsequent children is found to be irregular.     

Parental wealth and children's outcomes over the life-course in Brazil: A propensity score matching analysis

Parental wealth – as distinct from income, education and other parental socioeconomic resources – may play a large role in children's socioeconomic outcomes, particularly in developing countries, characterized by economic volatility, a weak social safety net and limited access to credit. Using a propensity score matching approach, we examine the influence of parental wealth on adult children's schooling, school quality, occupational status, consumption level, and wealth holdings in Brazil. Findings suggest a substantial effect of parental wealth on all these outcomes, with a positive effect of even modest levels of wealth. The effect of parental wealth on occupational status is largely mediated by parental investment in more and better education for children. In contrast, the effect on children's consumption and wealth is largely unmediated by labor market resources and rewards, a pattern that is more pronounced for sons than for daughters. This suggests direct parental financial assistance. Sensitivity analysis indicates that hidden bias emerging from unobserved confounders should have to be unlikely large to question inference of a causal influence of high levels of parental wealth, although the influence of low levels of wealth may be more susceptible to hidden bias.     

The interrelationships of positive affect,negative affect,and life satisfaction in an adolescent sample

A total of 266 adolescent students responded to two self-report well-being measures, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson et al., 1988) and the Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (Dew and Huebner, 1994). The findings supported multidimensional models of subjective well-being. Similar to findings with adults and younger children, three separable factors of well-being were identified: positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction. Demographic variables correlated differentially with the three factors. Considered together with findings from other research, the results suggest the structural invariance of subjective well-being from middle childhood through adulthood.     

The impact of gender and working life cycle position on the likelihood and accumulation of formal on-the-job training

The literature concerning the influence of race and gender on layoff likelihood suggests that differences persist between whites and blacks as well as males and females even after controlling for factors expected to influence personal productivity. However, it appears that formal on-the-job training has often not been adequately accounted for. This paper uses direct objective measures of formal on-the-job training to examine the influence of gender and working lifecycle stage on the likelihood of participating in formal on-the-job training programs and on the duration of these on-the-job training experiences for program participants.     

Variations in interstate migration of men across the early stages of the life cycle

The results reported here show that the stage of an individual's life cycle not only has direct effects on the likelihood of migration, but also establishes a context within which the motives to migrate are evaluated and acted upon. One contextual impact of the life cycle concerns the effects of length of residence on migration. The results show that the probability of migrating declines more rapidly over time for married males with children than for singles males--i.e., the difference between the likelihood of migration for single males and married males with children widens with increasing length of residence. Much of this difference may be due to the greater number and strength of community ties for individuals who are married with children. These ties are not well developed at the beginning of a residence but continue to strengthen over the course of a residence. In addition, there are variations in the levels of job rewards and location-specific resources across the life cycle and there are two variations across the early life cycle in the effects of independent variables on the initial rate of migration. One resource (self-employment) and one job reward (prestige) have different effects for single individuals than for either group of married males. If the span of the life cycle considered in this analysis were broadened to include older men, additional differences in the effects of independent variables might be uncovered. In research with cross-sectional data containing a wider range of ages than the data used here, Heaton et al. (1981) found that economic variables were more important in determining the migration of younger individuals than that of older individuals, whereas noneconomic factors were more important determinants of the migration of older than of younger individuals. The results of this paper and Heaton's results suggest that at different stages of life people use a somewhat different "subjective cost-benefit calculus" in making migration decisions. The importance of certain migration determinants may vary significantly depending on whether an individual is married, whether he or she has children, and/or whether he or she is in the labor force or retired. Additional research on these issues could greatly contribute to our understanding of migration.     

Home ownership,life cycle stage,and residential mobility

Previous research has shown that mobility rates decline with increasing age and duration of residence. These relationships are investigated further for the case of residential mobility using residence histories obtained in interviews with 2264 Rhode Island residents. Three methods of classifying segments of a person’s life into life cycle stages are compared: age, life cycle stages based on marital status and child-rearing periods, and a combined age-marital status classification. These classifications were not found to be equivalent in that there was considerable variation in mobility rates by life cycle stage within age categories and by age within life cycle categories. The age-marital status classification was selected for use in the remainder of the analysis because it had the least variation in mobility rates within categories and required far less data for computation than the life cycle stages. When mobility rates were examined by home ownership, age-marital status, and duration of previous residence, it was observed that there was little variation in mobility rates by duration for home owners while the mobility rates for renters declined with duration.     

Household demographic factors as life cycle determinants of land use in the Amazon

This paper seeks to broaden the application of demographyto environmental studies by complementing existing macro-level approaches, which feature aggregate populations, with a micro-level approach that highlights household life cycles. I take up the case of small farm households in the Brazilian Amazon to present a theoretical framework that identifies demographic characteristics which dispose families to engage in different forms of land use as household age structures change. Empirical models show that net of theeffects of farmer background, neighborhood context, institutional context, and off-farm incomes, demographic variables indicative of the household life cycle exert significant effects on the prominence of land uses with distinct environmental ramifications. The findings not only reveal micro-level demographic factors which affect Amazon land cover, they yield implications forfuture changes in rainforest landscapes in northern Brazil, and suggest household life cycle models as an avenue for further demographic research on environmental change in Latin America and other contexts.