The Impact of Fertility Desires on Parental Well-being
Exploring the relationship between having children and parental happiness is a complex issue. The level of happiness experienced by parents is not solely determined by the number of children they have. One crucial aspect often overlooked in studies on parental well-being is the consideration of fertility desires. For individuals who have no desire to have children, remaining childless may not result in negative emotions. On the other hand, those with a strong desire for children may experience significant emotional distress if they are unable to conceive. To gain a comprehensive understanding of how having children influences parental well-being, it is essential to factor in fertility desires.
New Research on the Discrepancy Between Desired and Actual Number of Children
A recent study titled “How a Mismatch Between Actual and Desired Fertility Relates to Well-Being Across Adulthood,” recently published in the Journal of Personality, delves into the impact of the variance between desired and actual number of children on parental well-being (Buchinger et al., 2026). Led by researcher Laura Buchinger from the University of Berlin, the study analyzed data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study.
The dataset included responses from over 23,000 participants who were asked to indicate their ideal number of children and the actual number of children they had. Based on this information, the participants were categorized into five groups:
- Voluntarily childfree individuals
- Involuntarily childfree individuals
- Parents who had the exact number of children they desired
- Parents who had fewer children than desired
- Parents who had more children than desired
Participants also rated their overall life satisfaction and satisfaction in various life domains, such as work and family life. Additional data on participants’ demographics, region of residence, childcare quality, and religious beliefs were also collected.
Key Findings of the Study
One group exhibited significantly lower psychological well-being compared to the others
On average, participants had 1.56 children, while their ideal number was 2.35
Four out of the five groups showed similar levels of psychological well-being, including both childfree groups, parents with desired number of children, and parents with fewer children than desired. The group that reported lower well-being across all age groups was parents with more children than desired.
Age played a role in the well-being of involuntarily childfree individuals, with older participants experiencing lower life satisfaction than younger ones.
Factors such as religion, social norms, and childcare availability did not significantly impact the results.
Implications and Insights
Findings from the study involving over 23,000 participants revealed that individuals with more children than desired reported lower psychological well-being. While the exact reasons for this discrepancy were not definitively determined, financial constraints and a sense of loss of autonomy were proposed as potential contributing factors. Additionally, older individuals who desired children but remained childless also reported lower well-being. These results underscore the importance of considering fertility desires when assessing the impact of parenthood on happiness.