Parents of young children have a greater sense of meaning in life than nonparents, regardless of social or national context, according to new research published in the Journal of Marriage and Family.
Using data from the European Social Survey, which saw over 43,000 respondents from 30 countries, researchers Ansgar Hudde and Marita Jacob found that while parenthood is linked to higher meaning than nonparenthood across all categories, it is also linked to lower life satisfaction for some groups.
The researchers sought to examine differences in the levels of life satisfaction and meaning across age, educational and ‘partnership’ categories, for those with young children in the home and for those without.
To assess life satisfaction, respondents were asked the question, “All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days?,” while to assess meaning, respondents were presented with the statement, “I generally feel that what I do in my life is valuable and worthwhile,” and were asked to respond along a five-point scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
For all women combined, life satisfaction was highest for those without young children in the home, wheras for all men combined, life satisfaction was higher for those with young children in the home.
When it came to life satisfaction, older mothers, along with mothers with a high level of education and those who were married, reported higher levels of life satisfaction than young mothers, especially single mothers or those with lower levels of education.
The study, Parenthood in Europe: Not More Life Satisfaction, but More Meaning in Life, meanwhile found that fathers reported higher life satisfaction in all categories except the youngest age group, as well as for unmarried men, and single men.
Both male and female parents experienced more meaning in life than nonparents, and this was the same across all age, educational, and partnership categories.
Results also varied across countries, with Nordic countries seeing higher levels of life satisfaction among female parents, compared to lower levels across Southern, Central and Eastern Europe.
“Parenthood is linked to lower life satisfaction for some groups but to higher meaning in life across diverse popula-tions. However, under certain conditions, such as the culture and policy context of the Nordic countries, parenthood is associatedwith both higher life satisfaction and meaning, two key components of a good life,” the report stated in its summarised conclusion.