Wybrane predyktory żalu rodzicielskiego i uprzedzeń wobec osób dobrowolnie bezdzietnych – analiza międzykulturowa
| Title in English | Selected Predictors of Parental Regret and Prejudice Against Childfree Individuals – A Cross-Cultural Analysis |
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| Year of publication | 2025 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Individuals who choose to remain childfree often experience social pressure, prejudice, discrimination, and exclusion. Some, under the influence of societal expectations, parents, or a partner, decide to become parents despite lacking a desire—or even feeling aversion—towards having children. Research indicates that such individuals are more likely to experience parental regret. An important issue is the role of social pressure in shaping parental regret, as well as the analysis of the relationship between prejudice against voluntarily childfree individuals and experienced parental regret. This study addresses these questions within a cross-cultural analysis conducted in five countries (Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the Czech Republic). A total of 759 individuals aged between 21 and 78 years (M = 42.57; SD = 10.72) participated. Multilevel modeling was used to analyze the relationships. The results indicate that parental regret is predicted by retrospectively perceived parental desires but is not significantly associated with retrospectively perceived parental expectations or with perceived pressure to have children. The tested model explains approximately 19% of the variance in the dependent variable. Prejudice against voluntarily childfree individuals is negatively associated with parental regret and positively associated with retrospectively perceived parental desires, although these variables explain only a small portion of the variance (9%). The findings suggest that experienced pressure to become a parent and social expectations have a limited impact on the intensity of parental regret and prejudice toward voluntarily childfree individuals. Retrospectively perceived parental desires play a key role in the model, significantly predicting parental regret and—to a certain extent—prejudice against childfree individuals. |
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