Search Results (3)

Questioning motherhood as a social mandate has been one of the main objectives of feminism. Motherhood has traditionally been linked to the idea of femininity and the reproductive function, which has led to women being thought of as “compulsory mothers”. However, this idea is currently changing, despite the fact that judgment is exercised on non-mothers. This research is part of a cross-sectional descriptive study, whose objective is to analyze the barriers and incentives to childbearing in the female population. A questionnaire was designed and administered to a representative sample of 318 women who were selected for our analysis, with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 5%. Results: Economic motives correlate positively with other variables, as well as work motives, the couple’s decision to not want to have children, and not having a stable partner, which suggests that these women have different motives for choosing not to have children. The main conclusions are that social and family pressures appear to have a limited impact on the decision not to have children, suggesting a change in social norms and expectations about the role of women in society, as women continue to gain autonomy and control over their reproductive decisions. Full article

The Childbearing Motivations Scale (CMS) is a multidimensional self-report measure of positive and negative motivations influencing the decision to become a parent. This study aimed to validate the Italian version of the CMS. A sample of 522 participants (27% men and 73% women) aged from 18 to 55 years was recruited. The four-factor model for the positive subscale and the five-factor model for the negative subscale of the CMS demonstrated a good fit. Reliability values ranged from 0.70 to 0.91. Both factors had evidence for convergent validity with sex, age, and relationship duration: women reported lower in some of the negative motivations to become a mother in contrast to men. Moreover, the greater the age, the lower the negative motivations for becoming a parent. Those in a longer relationship indicated lower negative motivations. No significant correlations were found for the positive motivations subscale. Significant differences were found for income levels (low vs. medium/high) regarding personal fulfillment, financial problems, and body-image concerns, as well as in cultural levels (medium vs. high) concerning economic constraints, intergenerational continuity, immaturity, and physical suffering. These findings suggest that individuals with lower economic resources scored higher across all these areas on the Negative Childbearing Motivations subscale. Our findings indicate that the CMS can be used to reliably assess the motivations for parenthood among Italian men and women. Full article

Background: Demographic changes are often prone to purely social perspectives, while individual differences are overlooked. This research examines the role of attachment and emotional intelligence in childbearing motivation. Methods: In total, 234 female students participated in an online survey, including sociodemographic data, adult attachment, emotional competencies, and parenting-related variables. Results: Statistical analyses revealed that the students express positive and negative childbearing motivation almost equally and moderately. They were both linked to religiosity and emotional management. We further explore the differences in relationship status and address the role of religious beliefs. The demographic measures identified as most important include healthcare availability for both mother and child, subsidizing housing loans or rent, and encouraging fathers to become more actively involved in the care of infants. Conclusion: These emerging trends deserve further investigation and social incentives. Full article