Katya Ivanova

Objective: To assess whether environmental concerns are associated with fertility expectations and behaviors across the reproductive life course. Background: Whether individuals consider climate change in their reproductive decisions is an emerging area of research. Prior studies have largely examined stated intentions or the influence of extreme weather events, leaving open questions about actual fertility behavior in relation to environmental concern. Method: Using individual‐level panel data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS), we followed 11,951 women and 8117 men from 2009 to 2022. We first use linear probability models and regress fertility expectations and parenthood status on the environmentalism index as measured in the first wave. We then estimate growth curve models to model the transition to parenthood across the life course for men and women who report different levels of environmentalism at the first wave. Results: Environmentalism is associated with slightly lower fertility expectations among younger adults, particularly those in their mid‐20s to early 30s. Notably, the negative association is stronger when it comes to actual parenthood status. Women aged 25 to 40 with high environmentalism scores are significantly less likely to have children. Growth curve analyses reveal that the difference between high and low environmentalism groups widens between ages 25 and 35, but narrows again by age 42. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the link between environmentalism and fertility behaviors may not necessarily be driven by a deliberate decision to forgo parenthood but rather by postponement.

Becoming a parent is a major life event associated with changes in psychological well-being. Existing research has often focused on the long-term development of trait well-being, leaving several gaps unaddressed. The current preregistered study employed three waves of intensive longitudinal data, including 7-day experience sampling data per wave, to investigate psychological well-being trajectories across the transition to motherhood. This approach provides novel, detailed insights into the timing of well-being changes (beyond traditional annual assessments), explores developments in different change indicators (mean-level, intraindividual variability, and individual differences), and various well-being components (affective, cognitive, and meaning in life) during this critical life transition. Following 161 first-time Dutch mothers from 20 weeks of pregnancy to 6 months postpartum, we observed increases in positive affect and meaning in life, along with decreases in life and relationship satisfaction that occurred between pregnancy and 2-3 months postpartum, with no significant changes afterward. In contrast, no significant changes in intraindividual variability in well-being (i.e., well-being fluctuations from moment to moment and day to day) were observed throughout the transition. There were both similarities and differences between the trajectories of trait and mean-state measures of different well-being outcomes, and additional exploratory analyses highlighted how various daily predictors (e.g., sleep quality, infant crying) became more (or less) important for mothers' well-being as they moved across the transition. The present study contributed to a better understanding of how the changes in a broad range of well-being components and other parameters unfold across the transition to motherhood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Objective: To assess whether environmental concern is associated with fertility expectations and behaviours across the reproductive life course.Background: Whether individuals consider climate change in their reproductive decisions is an emerging area of research. Prior studies have largely examined stated intentions or the influence of extreme weather events, leaving open questions about actual fertility behaviour in relation to environmental concern.Method: Using individual-level panel data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS), we followed 11,951 women and 8,117 men from 2009 to 2022. We first use linear probability models and regress fertility expectations and parenthood status on the environmentalism index as measured in the first wave. We then estimate Growth Curve models to model the transition to parenthood across the life course for men and women who report different levels of environmentalism at the first wave.Results: Environmentalism is associated with slightly lower fertility expectations among younger adults, particularly those in their mid-20s to early 30s. Notably, the negative association is stronger when it comes to actual parenthood status. Women aged 25 to 40 with high environmentalism scores are significantly less likely to have children. Growth curve analyses reveal that the fertility gap between high and low environmentalism groups widens between ages 25 and 35, but narrows again by age 42.Conclusion: Our results suggest that the link between environmentalism and fertility behaviours may not necessarily be driven by deliberate decision to forgo parenthood but rather, by postponement.

This study utilizes prospective data from the Dutch Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) panel to explore two research questions. First, can distinct trajectories of fertility expectations be identified among Dutch women and men in reproductive age (18 to 45/50) who do not have children? Second, do these trajectories differ in terms of self-reported societal pessimism at the start of that trajectory? We employed joint latent class analysis with Latent GOLD which allowed us to model the trajectories of fertility expectations while accounting for the fact that some of the respondents made the transition to parenthood during observation. The trajectories were estimated from entry into the panel until dropout, the end of the observation period (2022, or until reaching age 45 for women and 50 for men), or until the participant became a parent. For both women (n = 1,260) and men (n = 1,110), three similar classes emerged: 'committed to parenthood' (the largest class), 'uncertain' (24% of women and 22% of men), and 'early commitment to no expectation' (13.3% for women and 9.4% for men). In addition, a fourth class—'later arrivals to expectation of parenthood'—was identified among men. Bias-adjusted comparisons revealed significant differences only among women: those committed to parenthood exhibited the lowest levels of societal pessimism, while the 'uncertain' group reported the highest. These differences persisted even after adjusting for relevant control variables at the time when societal pessimism was captured, including depression levels, income satisfaction, partnership status, and education.

It has become commonplace to note the significant shifts in people’s partnership trajectories, including the increase in union dissolutions. Unlike in earlier times when the death of a partner was the primary cause of dissolution, the prevalence of (legal) separation has increased. This rise in first union dissolutions has prompted a great deal of research into subsequent re-partnering trajectories. Opening this chapter, I briefly argue for the importance of understanding re-partnering behaviours. Subsequently, I focus primarily on one particularly vibrant area of research, namely, the exploration of disparities in re-partnering chances. I outline the theoretical arguments which frequently guide these studies (needs, attractiveness, and opportunities) and reflect on the potential sources of disparities in the empirical findings. I conclude the chapter with a short reflection on how re-partnering behaviours might change as a result of the changing ways in which people ‘do’ family and gender.

Contemporary adults often cite economic uncertainty, global warming, and increasing inequality as reasons for intending not to have children. Despite extensive research on the impact of societal pessimism on attitudes towards out‐group members, political preferences, and voting behaviors, its impact on demographic behaviors, such as fertility, has received little attention. This study examines the relationship between societal pessimism—captured through individuals' negative perception of the future of the next generation—and their likelihood of becoming a parent. Using data from the Dutch Longitudinal Internet studies for the Social Sciences (LISS), we use discrete‐time event history models to estimate the probability of becoming a parent in a given year based on respondents' self‐reported negative assessment of the future of the next generation in six distinct areas. Our results demonstrate that perceiving the future of the coming generation as worse than today is associated with a lower probability of becoming a parent. These findings suggest that surveys aimed at understanding fertility behaviors should incorporate questions about individuals' perceptions of the future, in addition to their own contemporaneous conditions.

A kinkeeper is the person within the household that is involved in the management of family relationships, a position traditionally fulfilled by women. Due to the increased complexity of family life, which resulted from the rise in divorce and remarriage, the kinkeeper role might nowadays be particularly important but also more ambiguous. First, we examined differences in parental involvement in kinkeeping (buying presents, organizing outings, relaying family news, and discussing problems) along the lines of gender, family structure, and biological relatedness. Second, we explored whether the kinkeeping of parents and their partners is effective in the facilitation of intergenerational closeness with adult children. We used the OKiN survey, which includes information on kinkeeping in N = 746 intact, N = 982 mother-stepfather, and N = 1,010 father-stepmother families. Findings indicated a central facilitative role for mothers and stepmothers. Substantial gaps were found between mothers and fathers, married and divorced parents, and biological and stepparents with respect to the (variety of) kinkeeping in which these parents were involved. Yet, the contrasts of biological relatedness and family structure were also found to be gendered, as these gaps were smaller for mothers than fathers. Finally, an association was found between adult closeness with biological parents and the kinkeeping of the spouse, regardless of the nature of the relationship between the spouse and adult child. This implies that a stepmother can be just as effective as a married biological mother in facilitating the ties between a father and his biological children.

We examine the socio-economic differentials in mothers’ and non-mothers’ repartnering behaviours following the dissolution of a co-residential (marital or cohabiting) union. Based on five waves of the National Survey of Family Growth (N = 11,479), we use discrete-time event history models, jointly modelling exit from a partnership and entry into a new union. Few differences are found for entry into direct marriage, which is a rarely observed event. However, when we examine women’s entry into cohabitation (a possible stepping stone to marriage), we observe: (1) a motherhood gap, where mothers are less likely to repartner than non-mothers; (2) a negative association between educational attainment and repartnering probability; and (3) the motherhood gap existing only for low-educated women. Supplementary analyses on the impact of the Great Recession demonstrate that whereas the economic cycle mattered for the repartnering of low-educated women, it made no difference for more highly educated women.

Objective: We examined how adult (step)parent–child closeness is associated to the quality of other ties in the family network (i.e., parent–child dyads, parent–parent dyads).Background: Although stepfamily scholars often assume that there are associations between all dyads within a family unit, more research needs to examine this premise empirically.Method: We used survey data on adult children and their relationships with mothers, fathers, stepfathers, and stepmothers (N = 1,022). Two methods—non‐recursive structural equation modeling (SEM), and cross‐lagged SEM—were applied to consider the bidirectionality between ties.Results: Those who are close to their biological parent are often also close to the new partner/stepparent, which is interpreted as a household effect. Moreover, the tie between the divorced parents is strongly associated to father–child closeness but less to mother–child closeness. We also found that mother–stepmother closeness and stepmother–child closeness are correlated, as are father–stepfather closeness and stepfather–child closeness. Our findings suggested weak substitution between father–child and stepfather–child closeness (a small but significant negative association). Gender differences are visible, as ties between biological mothers and adult children seemed more independent of the family system than other parent–child ties.Conclusions: Shifts in one (step)family dyad seem to create a spillover effect, also affecting other family dyads.Implications: For family practitioners or counselors, it is more efficient to consider the embeddedness of parent–child closeness within the family system than to focus on one constituent member or dyad of the system.

Using a nationally representative, prospective study of young German adults, we address two research questions: First, are changes in the perceptions of the fairness of (un)paid labor division associated with changes in men’s and women’s partnership satisfaction across fertility transitions? Second, is this association moderated by men and women’s pre-birth gender role attitudes? Our results indicate that differences between respondents in changes in relationship satisfaction after fertility transitions could be observed across perceptions of the fairness of the division of labor, rather than across differing actual divisions of household labor. That effect was found for women, but not men. Across gender role attitudes, the perception of a stable fair arrangement was detrimental to traditional men’s relationship satisfaction, whereas the perception of increased fairness protected against declines in relationship satisfaction only for egalitarian women. We discuss how the mismatch between imagined and lived realities might affect relationship dynamics across fertility transitions.