Category Ranking
98%
Total Visits
921
Avg Visit Duration
2 minutes
Citations
20
Article Abstract
Parenthood is one of the most important social roles, but the consequences of becoming a parent are not always as expected. It is estimated that in developed countries, up to 5%-14% of parents regret their decision to have children and if they could turn back time, they would choose childlessness. While such a situation can have serious consequences for the entire family system, our knowledge of the causes and consequences of regretting parenthood is very limited. Beyond the possible taboo, one factor that is certainly responsible for the small number of studies on regretting parenthood is the lack of questionnaires to measure its severity. In the present study, we decided to fill this gap and developed a new questionnaire-the Parenthood Regret Scale. In a series of three studies (total = 2,994) conducted on English-speaking, French-speaking, and Polish-speaking samples, we analyzed the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the new scale. The results confirmed that the Parenthood Regret Scale has a single-factor structure, which has been replicated in the three languages. Furthermore, the analyses confirmed that higher parenthood regret is negatively related to life satisfaction, and positively related to the severity of depressive symptoms and parental burnout. In light of the results obtained, it can be concluded that the Parenthood Regret Scale is a valid and reliable measure that can help advance research on an almost unknown issue of great social importance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/fam0001158 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
LGBTQ + Affirmative CBT: a hierarchical linear model of longitudinal outcomes and mechanisms of change.
BMC Psychol
September 2025
Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada.
Background: Sexual and gender diverse adolescents and young adults (SGDAYA) experience mental health disparities, yet few empirical investigations into the long-term impact of affirmative treatments on their well-being exist.
Methods: This study explored the longitudinal effects of a brief affirmative cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) group intervention (AFFIRM) on the depression and anxiety of SGDAYA (N = 202), as well as how pre-treatment and mid-intervention change mechanisms contributed to their improved mental health. Participants' age ranged from 14 to 29 years old at baseline (M = 22.
"I try not to let my kids see it": Mothering and emotion management.
Fam Relat
April 2025
School of Human Ecology & LaFollette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Objective: This study aims to understand how a diverse group of mothers with limited incomes approach managing their emotions. Participating mothers were predominantly women of color.
Background: Previous research suggested that, on average, inadequate resources negatively shape parenting practices and subsequent child outcomes.
English validation of the Multidimensional Scale of Motives for Postponing Parenthood (MSMPP-18-EN): Factorial structure, psychometric properties, and correlates.
PLoS One
August 2025
Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland.
Introduction: While the literature on deferred parenthood is rich in analyses of this topic from a sociological and medical point of view, psychological research is in the minority. The analysis also shows that there are no questionnaires to measure motives for postponing parenthood. This gap is filled by the Multidimensional Scale of Motives for Postponing Parenthood (MSMPP-18) which assesses the motivational forces that may lead to the decision to postpone parenthood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDaily dynamics of parental mental health: Investigating depressive symptoms and negative parental experiences.
J Psychiatr Res
August 2025
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, UK; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Modum Bad Psychiatric Hospital, Vikersund, Norway.
Investigating psychopathological processes and symptomatology is essential for understanding how psychological states emerge and are maintained over time. This preregistered intensive longitudinal study investigates within-person associations between key mental health symptoms, psychopathological processes, and negative experiences tied to parenthood. Daily observations from 514 parents (18,916 daily observations in total, mean daily completed observations = 36.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA life put on hold? Navigating fertility-related considerations after cancer in adolescence and young adulthood (AYA).
Support Care Cancer
August 2025
Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1105AZ, The Netherlands.
Purpose: To examine fertility-related considerations of patients and survivors diagnosed with cancer during adolescence and young adulthood (AYA). Such fertility-related considerations include perceptions of putting reproductive goals "on hold" and subsequent effects on romantic relationships, parenthood considerations (i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF