Human Ecology Research

The Korean Home Economics Association (대한가정학회)
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Developmental Tasks During the Childrearing Stage and Second Birth Intentions among Chinese Married Women: Parenting Adaptation, Division of Childcare, and Marital Adjustment

중국 기혼여성의 자녀양육기 발달과업과 둘째 출산의향: 부모역할 적응, 양육분담, 부부적응을 중심으로

  • Yu, Kunping (Department of Child Development and Family Studies, Seoul National University) ;
  • Lee, Jaerim (Department of Child Development and Family Studies and the Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University)
  • 우공평 (서울대학교 아동가족학과) ;
  • 이재림 (서울대학교 아동가족학과 및 생활과학연구소)
  • Received : 2021.12.03
  • Accepted : 2022.02.08
  • Published : 2022.02.28
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Abstract

Although the globally known one-child policy in China was abolished in 2016, the overall fertility rate in the country declined to 1.3 in 2020. In this study, we examined whether the achievement of major developmental tasks during the childrearing stage was associated with intentions to have a second child among Chinese married women. Based on family development theory, we included parenting adaptation, division of childcare responsibilities with the partner, and marital adjustment as key developmental tasks during the childrearing stage. The participants of this study were 315 married Chinese women who lived with a spouse and a child who had not yet entered elementary school. Data were collected through an online survey in February and March 2021. A multiple regression analysis of the data revealed that a lower level of economic parenting stress, a higher level of fairness in dividing childcare responsibilities with the partner, and a more positive change in their marital relationship after having the first child were associated with greater intentions to have a second child.

Keywords

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