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Change in Motherhood Status and Fertility Problem Identification: Implications for Changes in Life Satisfaction
Author(s) -
Greil Arthur L.,
McQuillan Julia,
Burch Andrea R.,
Lowry Michele H.,
Tiemeyer Stacy M.,
SlausonBlevins Kathleen S.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of marriage and family
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.578
H-Index - 159
eISSN - 1741-3737
pISSN - 0022-2445
DOI - 10.1111/jomf.12595
Subject(s) - fertility , life satisfaction , religiosity , psychology , perception , social psychology , life course approach , demography , developmental psychology , population , sociology , neuroscience
Objective To determine whether the association between changes in life satisfaction and becoming a mother (or not) depends on fertility problem identification status. Background Evidence and symbolic interactionist theory suggest that, for women who initially perceive a fertility barrier, gaining the valued identity “mother” should be associated with increases and continuing to face a blocked goal (i.e., not becoming a mother) should be associated with decreases in life satisfaction. Method This study used the nationally representative two‐wave National Survey of Fertility Barriers to conduct a change‐score analysis with chained multiple imputation. The focal dependent variable was change in life satisfaction. Focal independent variables were Wave 1 life satisfaction, fertility problem identification status, and birth between waves, controlling for stability and change in relationship status, talking to a doctor about how to get pregnant, religiosity, social support, importance of parenthood, importance of leisure, importance of work success, and economic hardship. Results Among women who perceived a fertility problem at both waves, becoming a mother was associated with increased life satisfaction and not becoming a mother was associated with decreased life satisfaction. Women who gained or lost a fertility problem perception between waves but did not have a live birth experienced a gain in life satisfaction between waves, suggesting the relevance of the duration of fertility problem perception for change in life satisfaction.