Women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood: A predictor of future childlessness?

Pronatalism expects and presumes that all women will be mothers, and stereotypes, stigmatises and excludes those who fail to conform. Yet, within the context of pronatalism, little is known about women without children’s attitudes towards motherhood, and their subsequent childbearing. This study aim...

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Main Authors: Melissa Graham, Carly Smith, Margaret Shield
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Griffith University 2015-12-01
Series:Journal of Social Inclusion
Online Access:https://josi.journals.griffith.edu.au/index.php/inclusion/article/view/537
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spelling doaj-78563a9bc90e4ee88f241509e9fa34cc2020-11-25T01:50:36ZengGriffith UniversityJournal of Social Inclusion1836-88082015-12-0162518573Women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood: A predictor of future childlessness?Melissa Graham0Carly Smith1Margaret Shield2Centre for Health through Action on Social Exclusion (CHASE), School of Health and Social Development, Deakin UniversityCentre for Health through Action on Social Exclusion (CHASE), School of Health and Social Development, Deakin UniversityCentre for Health through Action on Social Exclusion (CHASE), School of Health and Social Development, Deakin UniversityPronatalism expects and presumes that all women will be mothers, and stereotypes, stigmatises and excludes those who fail to conform. Yet, within the context of pronatalism, little is known about women without children’s attitudes towards motherhood, and their subsequent childbearing. This study aimed to determine if women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood predicted future motherhood status, using data from the Negotiating the Life Course Study. Women 18 years and over at Wave 1, who did not have children, were included in the analysis (n = 122). Logistic regression was used to predict motherhood status at Wave 4 based on attitudes at Wave 1. A positive attitude toward the importance of children in one’s life increased the likelihood of future motherhood, while believing children negatively impact on freedom increased the likelihood of not future childlessness. Findings also suggested that attitudes relating to the burden of children, or the impact of children on a woman’s career, are similar for those who do and do not become mothers. Women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood may be a poor predictor of future childlessness. This study counters some of the negative attitudinal stereotypes towards childless women in a pronatalist society. Keywords: Australia, childlessness, motherhood, attitudeshttps://josi.journals.griffith.edu.au/index.php/inclusion/article/view/537
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Melissa Graham
Carly Smith
Margaret Shield
spellingShingle Melissa Graham
Carly Smith
Margaret Shield
Women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood: A predictor of future childlessness?
Journal of Social Inclusion
author_facet Melissa Graham
Carly Smith
Margaret Shield
author_sort Melissa Graham
title Women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood: A predictor of future childlessness?
title_short Women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood: A predictor of future childlessness?
title_full Women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood: A predictor of future childlessness?
title_fullStr Women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood: A predictor of future childlessness?
title_full_unstemmed Women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood: A predictor of future childlessness?
title_sort women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood: a predictor of future childlessness?
publisher Griffith University
series Journal of Social Inclusion
issn 1836-8808
publishDate 2015-12-01
description Pronatalism expects and presumes that all women will be mothers, and stereotypes, stigmatises and excludes those who fail to conform. Yet, within the context of pronatalism, little is known about women without children’s attitudes towards motherhood, and their subsequent childbearing. This study aimed to determine if women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood predicted future motherhood status, using data from the Negotiating the Life Course Study. Women 18 years and over at Wave 1, who did not have children, were included in the analysis (n = 122). Logistic regression was used to predict motherhood status at Wave 4 based on attitudes at Wave 1. A positive attitude toward the importance of children in one’s life increased the likelihood of future motherhood, while believing children negatively impact on freedom increased the likelihood of not future childlessness. Findings also suggested that attitudes relating to the burden of children, or the impact of children on a woman’s career, are similar for those who do and do not become mothers. Women’s attitudes towards children and motherhood may be a poor predictor of future childlessness. This study counters some of the negative attitudinal stereotypes towards childless women in a pronatalist society. Keywords: Australia, childlessness, motherhood, attitudes
url https://josi.journals.griffith.edu.au/index.php/inclusion/article/view/537
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