The motives of young people to have or not to have children

Lutskaya Ekaterina Evgenievna PhD in Philosophy Associate Professor; M.A. Budanova Department of Theoretical and Special Sociology; Moscow State Pedagogical University 88 Vernadsky Ave., office 507, Moscow, 119571, Russia ee.luckaya@mpgu.su Nevezhina Sof'ya Dmitrievna Student; Department of Theoretical and Special Sociology named after M.A. Budanova; Moscow Pedagogical State University 88 Vernadsky Ave., office 507, Moscow, 119571, Russia sd_nevezhina@student.mpgu.edu

Tihomirova Dar'ya Alekseevna Student; Department of Theoretical and Special Sociology named after M. A. Budanova; Moscow Pedagogical State University 88 Vernadsky Ave., office 507, Moscow, 119571, Russia social.research2023@mail.ru

Introduction. Analyzing the demographic situation in Russia, it can be noted that in the period from 2014 to 2016, the birth rate was approximately 1.9 million children per year ^{[1, p. 80]}. However, starting in 2017, this indicator began to decline, which raises serious concerns, since this alarming trend persists. The study of motives for having or not having children is relevant, at least because it helps to track social changes and trends in the family as one of the main social institutions ^[2]. Also, understanding the reproductive attitudes of young people will make it possible to create more effective demographic policy programs ^[3]; ^[4]. The youth in the study appears as a special social group with a number of common features and views, the study of which will provide an idea of the motives of this social group to have and not have children ^[5],[6].

The online survey conducted from February 25 to March 1, 2024 among young people in the presented research paper is the main source of obtaining primary sociological information. The survey of respondents was conducted using a single questionnaire in order to establish the motivation of students on the issue of having children; to identify the preferred age limits for the birth of a child; to determine the age limits considered "early" and "late" for the birth of the first child from the point of view of students; to identify the positive and negative sides of "early" and "late" the birth of a child. A secondary analysis of the data from sociological studies conducted by Russian research centers on similar issues revealed the changes that have occurred over time in the views of young people and the difference in their opinions with other groups of the population.

Characteristics of the sample. The sample size of 145 respondents was determined by the capabilities of the researchers. A single-stage sample was used, the selection unit was specific high school students (grades 10-11) and university students from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Veliky Novgorod. The largest number of respondents who completed the survey are aged 18-19 (35%), 20-23 (40%) and 16-17 years old (19%), more often girls (81%), less often boys (19%). The online survey was attended by respondents of average and prosperous economic status (42% – "average", 34% – "rather prosperous", 18% – "prosperous"). The error of the conducted research on the formed sample is ± 1.62% with a confidence interval of 95%, which allows us to extend the conclusions with a certain level of accuracy to the entire general population of students aged 16 to 29 years.

The results of the study

Before starting to develop methodological tools, the authors studied the motives presented in the works of A.A. Vyalshina and T.V. Gudkova ^[7]; ^[8] the motives of respondents to have and not have children among students, which made it possible to compile an author's list of motives for formulating a closed multiple choice question. Answering the question about the motives of childbearing closest to the respondents, young people more often chose answers that for them it is the need to give love (65%), positive emotions (56%), the need to leave someone behind (48%) and the opportunity to become more responsible (44%). The most unpopular answers are the fulfillment of public duty (4%), social approval (4%), duty to parents (5%), the desire to have state support (7%) (see Figure 1.). The motives for having children among young people are mainly related to the emotional and psychological component, which carries the birth and upbringing of children, and to the least extent with the opinion of other people and the support of the state.

Fig. 1. Motives for having children

Among the motives for not having children, the most popular responses among respondents were the difficulty of upbringing (57%), fear of pregnancy and childbirth (53%), material costs (43%), lack of normal living conditions (42%), a reliable partner (40%) and the unstable situation in the country (39%) ^[9]. The least popular answers about social condemnation in the case of the birth of a child and the appearance of problems in marital relations are 8 and 10%, respectively (see Figure 2.). In many ways, unfavorable social living conditions and difficulties of a psychoemotional nature are decisive for young people in postponing the birth of children or not having them at all, which can arise in the process of raising and giving birth to a child.

Fig. 2. Motives for not having children

Next, the answers to the question about the "ideal" number of children in a family were studied ^[10],[11]. According to the majority of respondents, these are two children (47%). Those who do not plan to have children or want to have only one turned out to be 13 and 16%, respectively. 14% of respondents want to have three children in their family, and only 2% want more than four (see Fig. 3.).

Fig. 3. The "ideal" number of children

*ANO Levada Center has been entered by the Ministry of Justice in the register of non-profit organizations performing the functions of a foreign agent.

Among the answers to the question of what could change the respondents' opinion about the number of children in the family, the most popular were having a good job, stable earnings (61%) and having a reliable partner (50%) ^[12]. The least popular factor is an increase in state aid (14%). About 21% of respondents noted that none of the above has any effect on changing their opinion (see Figure 4.). Based on the answers received, it can be assumed that in many ways stability in career and personal life can affect the change of attitudes of young people about the number of children in the family in a positive way.

Fig. 4. "What could most influence the change in your opinion about the number of children in your family?"

The opinions of the respondents about several of the statements made were also analyzed ^[13]. The first hypothesis is formulated as follows: "If people want to have children, then they should get married" ^[14],[15]. The majority of respondents agreed with this statement to varying degrees ("yes, I agree" – 31%, "rather agree" – 20%). Nevertheless, it is worth noting that although agreement with the statement is predominant, a significant proportion of respondents disagree with it — in total 30% ("no, I disagree" – 19%, "rather disagree" – 11%) (see Fig. 5.). It can be concluded that marriage, if there is a desire to have children, is important, but is not a prerequisite for all representatives of the student youth.

Fig. 5. "If people want to have children, they must get married"

*ANO “Levada Center” is included by the Ministry of Justice in the register of non-profit organizations performing the functions of a foreign agent.

The second statement was that families with children are more respected by others than those without children. Representatives of young people aged 16 to 29 years largely disagree with this statement ("no, I disagree" – 39%, "rather disagree" – 9%). The share of those who agreed with the statement to a certain extent amounted to about a third — 31% ("yes, I agree" – 8%, "rather agree" – 23%) (see Fig. 6.).

Fig. 6. "Families with children are more respected by others than families without children"

*ANO “Levada Center” is included by the Ministry of Justice in the register of non-profit organizations performing the functions of a foreign agent.

The third statement was about the usefulness of a person's life if he has children. Here, too, the majority of respondents expressed their disagreement with the statement ("no, I disagree" – 50%, "rather disagree" – 8%). The share of consonants was 10% ("yes, I agree") and 11% ("I rather agree"), respectively (see Fig. 7.). These data indicate that among young students there is a tendency towards the absence of children or single-childedness - most do not consider the birth of children to be a necessary stage in a person's life. In addition, the respondents demonstrated that they are less susceptible to prejudice and they do not tend to hang labels that would allow them to treat someone with more or less respect.

Fig. 7. "A person's life is full if he has children"

The questionnaire included a set of questions about reproductive age ^[16]. The answers of young people to the question about the optimal age of women for the birth of their first child were distributed as follows: age "18-20" years (less than 1%), "21-23" years (6%), "24-26" (48%), "27-29" (30%), "30-35" (11%) and "35-40" years old (2%) (see Fig. 8.). The answers about the optimal age of a man becoming a father for the first time turned out to be relatively similar and were distributed as follows: age "18-20" years (less than 1%), "21-23" years (4%), "24-26" (23%), "27-29" (40%), "30-35" (24%) and "36-40" years (4%) (see Fig. 9.). It turns out that the optimal age for the birth of the first child is lower for a woman than for a man. Judging by the majority of respondents' responses, this age was 24-26 years for women, and 27-29 years for men.

As for the "late" age for the birth of the first child among women, the answers were arranged in a different way: age "27-30" years (2%), "31-34" years (4%), "35-38" years (28%), "39-42" years (19%), "43-46" (13%) and "47-50" (20%) years old (see Fig. 10.). For men, the "late" age limits at birth were as follows: age "27-30" years (4%), "31-34" years (10%), "35-38" years (29%), "39-42" years (21%), "43-46" (15%) and "47-50" years (21%) (see Fig. 11.). The "late" age of a woman for the birth of her first child is similar to the "late" age of a man, according to the respondents — this is the limit of 35-38 years.

Highlighting the advantages of the "late" birth of the firstborn, it can be said that the most significant for the students are the high welfare of the family, a strong and stable psychological state and the social position of the parents ^[17]. The top three most popular responses include the following positive points — "the welfare of the family is higher" (68%), "parents are more responsible for the upbringing and development of their child" (50%) and "parents are completely immersed in the upbringing of the child and the family, since they have already reached a sufficient position to pay attention to the child" (36%). Only 8% of respondents noted the lack of advantages in the "late" birth of their first child (see Fig. 12.).

Fig. 12. The advantages of a "late" birth of a child

The most popular negative aspects of the "late" birth of the firstborn were the health problems of the parents (82%), developmental pathologies of the child himself (46%) and the fact that parents may not have time to raise a child or not live to see him grow up (32%). Only 5% noted the absence of disadvantages with the "late" birth of the first child (see Fig. 13.).

Fig. 13. Disadvantages of the "late" birth of a child

The age limit considered "early" for the birth of a woman's first child was 19-22 years (30%) (see Figure 14.). The "early" age for first fatherhood turned out to be similar and amounted to 19-22 years (32%) (see Figure 15.).

The most popular positive aspects of the "early" birth of the first child are the answer options "young parents are closer to their children and understand them better" (50%), "young parents have more strength for the upbringing and development of the child" (34%) and "parents stay longer and feel young" (33%). A fifth (21%) of respondents noted the lack of advantages in the "early" birth of their first child (see Fig. 16.).

Fig. 16. Advantages of the "early" birth of a child

Speaking about the negative sides of the "early" birth of the firstborn, it can be noted that the following positions are most significant for respondents: the emergence of financial difficulties for young parents (67%); lack of a profession, which causes problems in providing comfortable conditions (58%), lack of life experience for young parents (51%) along with difficulties in self-realization (41%) (see Fig. 17.). All this indicates that the main problem of the "early" birth of the first child is precisely the material and social status of future parents.

Fig. 17. Disadvantages of the "early" birth of a child

Discussion

The data obtained by us in the course of an empirical sociological study does not contradict the picture presented in the VTSIOM study conducted in 2021 among respondents aged 18 and older ("Society. Family and Children: Attitudes and realities", 2021). The answers to the question of what children are needed for were divided into pragmatic ("for procreation" - 33%, "help in old age" - 5%, "support of parents" - 3%) and emotional ("this is happiness and joy" - 20%). The latter turned out to be similar to the main motives of young students for having a child (love, positive emotions and leaving someone behind) (see Fig. 18.).

Fig. 18. "Please continue the phrase: children are needed for... or because...", VTSIOM, 2021

VTSIOM respondents also cited difficult social conditions, difficult financial situation (26%) and difficulties of a psychoemotional nature as reasons for abandoning parenthood (egoism - 14%, fear of responsibility - 13%, fears - 7%), which only largely agrees with the answers of students analyzed by the authors to the question of motives for not having children (see fig. 19.). Interestingly, the VTSIOM result of 5% on the reason for refusal due to poverty and lack of stability was in the top 5 least common, along with difficult life situations (3%) and the importance of a career (5%), while in the author's study of 2024, similar options were for students, on the contrary the most significant reasons for not having children.

Fig. 19. "Why do you think some people consciously refuse parenthood?", VTsIOM, 2021

The desire to have two children has remained the most popular among most segments of the population for 5 years (this answer option was the most popular among respondents of the All-Russian sample according to the VTSIOM 2021 study and according to the Levada Center research in 2019 and 2022. ("Desired and expected number of children", 2019; "Normative views on marriage, children and family roles", 2022) (see Figure 3.). The authors note a tendency to decrease the number of children in the family, as the number of those who do not plan to have children or want to have only one child, The number of respondents in 2024 is quite high, amounting to 13% and 16%, respectively.

The answers in the block of questions with statements also turned out to be similar to the answers of respondents aged 18-39 in 2022, according to the Levada Center ("Normative views on marriage, children and family roles", 2022). The majority of respondents spoke about the need to marry if a couple wants to have children ("I rather agree" – 31%, "yes, I agree" – 24%), but about the same proportion of respondents as in 2024 among young people did not agree with the proposed statement ("I rather disagree" – 29%, "no, I disagree" – 5%) (see Fig. 5.).

On the contrary, respondents in 2022 expressed their consent to the provision on greater respect for families with children than without children, compared with young people in 2024 ("I rather agree" – 37%, "yes, I agree" – 21%) (see Fig. 6.), while the answers to agreement with the statement about the fullness of a person's life if he has children in 2022 turned out to be the same as in 2024 — the majority disagree (67%) ("Normative views on marriage, children and family roles", 2022) (see Fig. 7.).

A similar set of questions to determine the optimal age for having children was asked to respondents aged 18 and older in 2014 in the FOM survey ("Lifestyle. The optimal age for the birth of children", 2014). In 10 years, there have been significant changes in some aspects. The optimal age of a woman for the birth of her first child has increased (for example, in 2014, the popular answer was the age of "21-24" years (51%), while in 2024 they became the ages of "24-26" and "27-29" years) (see Fig. 20.). The optimal age of a man for the birth of his first child it has not changed (the age of "25-28" years was considered the best by 47% of respondents in 2014, while in 2024 the age of "27-29" years became the same) (see Fig. 21.).

The assessment of the age of birth of the firstborn as "late" in women has also increased since 2014, when the age of "45 years and older" gained 8% of the vote (see Figure 22.). In 2024, the two older age ranges "43-46" and "47-50" years scored a total of 33% (FOM: "A way of life. The optimal age for the birth of children", 2014). The assessment of the age of men has not undergone noticeable changes — it is still 35-39 years old (in 2014 - 28%) (see Fig. 23.). After ten years, there have been no noticeable changes in the opinion of citizens about the pros and cons of the late birth of the firstborn.

The age limit, which is considered "early" for the birth of the first child in women, has also increased. Since, for example, the age of 18 in 2014 gained 31%, and in 2024 he scored twice as much among young people, preferring the age of 19-22 years (FOM: "Lifestyle. The optimal age for the birth of children", 2014) (see Fig. 24.). For men, the "early" age for the birth of the first child has not changed significantly in 10 years (see Fig. 25.).

It has become more common among young people that the "early" birth of their first child is good for the closeness of young parents to their children, while ten years ago a much smaller proportion of respondents chose this answer. Otherwise, the advantages converge and even the proportion of those who believe that they do not exist (in 2014 it was 28%). As for the disadvantages, over the past 10 years, young people have begun to pay more attention to their financial situation – in 2014, there were much fewer respondents who considered financial difficulties to be a disadvantage of the "early" birth of a child.

The interest in scientific research aimed at studying the reproductive behavior of modern youth in Russia, as well as the analysis of the values and goals that underlie this behavior, does not fade in the circle of domestic scientists and researchers. For example, T.Y. Pestrikova, E.A. Yurasova, I.V. Yurasov and A.S. Shmatkova in their study "Trends in reproductive behavior of youth in the realities of the modern demographic situation" came to conclusions confirming the results of our author's research – modern young people increasingly do not consider family creation and the birth of children as priority goals. Independence and professional development come to the fore, which leads to the postponement of starting a family at a later date, after achieving career success.^[18] As the reasons for the low birth rate and the type of reproductive behavior that has developed among the younger generation, the authors of the article also highlight such aspects as the degradation of the family institution, a decrease in the number of registered marriages, an increase in the illegitimate birth rate, an increase in the number of divorces. ^[18]

According to a number of researchers, one of the serious problems in the field of family relations is the refusal of girls to have children and the unwillingness of young people to become fathers. The main reasons for this refusal are financial difficulties, the desire for a successful career and lack of parenting skills. Young men also refuse fatherhood for a variety of reasons: unwillingness to take responsibility for a child, doubts about their partner's readiness for motherhood, fears about financial well-being, lack of love for children, lack of their own housing and capital, as well as a desire to live for their own pleasure. ^[19][20]

A detailed analysis of the matrimonial and reproductive behavior of young people can be observed in the study by T.K. Rostovskaya, O.A. Zolotareva and E.N. Vasilyeva "Models of matrimonial and reproductive behavior of Russian youth", which revealed the tendency of young people to postpone the birth of children, including when getting married. The most important reason why young people decide to postpone the birth of their first child is the need to find a better–paying job - this position was noted by many respondents, regardless of their assessment of their current standard of living. This factor is perhaps the main determinant, its influence on the decision to have a first child increases with a decrease in the standard of living. ^[21]

Among other factors influencing the decision to delay the birth of a child, considerable attention is paid to education and marriage. It is also important to note that the birth of a child is postponed due to the lack of their own housing. ^[21]

As has already been noted by many researchers, in recent decades there have been changes in traditional marriage and family values. D.A. Kotov and N.V. Grek are studying these changes in the context of life strategies, and the results of their online forums reflect the following conclusions: 1) family is perceived by the younger generation as the main life value and is associated with positive emotional reactions, and children are considered as a necessary element of a happy family, as evidenced by the results of the survey – for most participants, the concept of "happy family" almost always implies the presence of children (at least one); 2) as the main motive for the appearance of the first respondents identified the desire to achieve a new social status - the status of a parent and continue their family; 3) the key obstacle to making a decision on the birth of the first child is the financial stability of the family, followed by psychological barriers, insecurity in a partner, lack of strong interpersonal attachment, the risk of divorce, physiological aspects of women's health; 4) speaking of In reproductive plans, young people demonstrate a potential willingness to have two or more children in the presence of optimal conditions, but in modern realities they prefer to limit themselves to one or two children. ^[22]

Since the early 1980s, there has been an increase in the number of European and Asian countries with extremely low birth rates. ^{[23] [24]} In most developed societies, there is a tendency to "postpone childbearing." The process of postponing the birth of the first child to a later date, known as the "transition to delayed childbirth", has become a key phenomenon of recent decades. ^{[25] [26]} According to the theory of demographic transition, the birth rate should stabilize at the level of simple reproduction of the population, equal to 2.1 children per woman. Nevertheless, in the last decades of the 20th century, developed countries have demonstrated low, ultra-low and even ultra-low birth rates, which are approaching 1. ^{[25] [26]} In connection with this fact, changes in the dynamics of marriage and partnership relations observed in recent decades in developed countries can also be associated with a downward trend in the level of fertility and deferred parenthood. An increasing number of studies confirm the relationship between postponing the creation of unions and the birth of children. ^[27][28]

Among the reasons for postponing the birth of the firstborn, Gustafsson especially highlights career growth, coming to the conclusion that career planning for a woman is one of the key factors contributing to the postponement of childbirth. ^[29] This conclusion was confirmed in subsequent studies in Sweden, Great Britain, Ireland, the USA and Italy. ^{[30] [31] [32]} Other researchers, M. Mills and G. Blossfeld, found that in conditions of economic uncertainty, which is expressed in low incomes and unemployment, young people tend to postpone long–term commitments, such as parenthood, which requires a certain economic base to ensure security. ^[28]

Conclusions:

1. In 2024, young people identified such motives related to the desire to have children as "the need to give love", "positive emotions", "the need to leave someone behind" and "the opportunity to become more responsible", which can be assessed as appropriate and favorable.

2. Among the motivating factors of not having children, the most popular are psychological difficulties and difficult circumstances in which social security suffers: "difficulty of upbringing", fear of pregnancy and childbirth, material costs, lack of normal living conditions, a reliable partner and an unstable situation in the country.

3. Speaking of the desired number of children in a family, the intention to have two children is the most popular among young people. One can notice a tendency to decrease the number of children — one or two children in a family are the most preferable option, as recorded by the data of previous years recorded in surveys of leading sociological centers.

4. In addition, the data obtained during the 2024 survey allows us to conclude that it is important for young people to get married if they want to have children. At the same time, children are not necessarily necessary for a full life (in their opinion); this is confirmed by the fact that at present there is an increasing tendency among young people to have no children or to have fewer of them. Also, this point of view can be justified by the primary orientation of young people to create a career, strengthen their material and social position in society, and only then to have children.

5. There is a tendency to increase the optimal age for the birth of the first child, characteristic of both women and men. According to the results of the study, the optimal age for the birth of the first child for a woman is 24-26 years old, and for a man — 25-29 years old.

6. A different situation can be observed with respect to the "late" age of birth of the firstborn: one can note a tendency towards a gradual increase in such an age limit for women, in turn, the same age limits remain "late" for men. Thus, the "late" age for the birth of the first child for both women and men, according to respondents, is the age of 35-38 years.

7. Highlighting the "advantages" of the late birth of the firstborn, our respondents highlighted, first of all, the high material well-being of the family, the strong and stable social position of the parents. The most popular "disadvantages" of the late birth of the firstborn, highlighted by the respondents, mainly relate to health problems of parents and children.

8. Speaking of the "early" age of birth of the first child, women also show a tendency to increase the age limit, while for men the "early" age for the birth of the first child has not changed significantly. So, the "early" age for the birth of the first child for a woman is 19-20 years old, and for a man it is 19-22 years old.

9. The most popular "plus" of the early birth of the first child in 2024 was the fact that young parents are closer to their children and understand them better. As for the "disadvantages" of the early birth of the first child, the following leading position can be distinguished — "the material and social status of future parents" ^[33]. The popularity of this particular "minus" is due to the fact that now young people are primarily focused on building a career, which pushes the creation of a family into the background ^[34].

Conclusion

The study of reproductive attitudes, in particular the motives for having or not having children, common among young people, is one of the primary tasks of family sociology in modern society. In the context of rapidly changing values, attitudes and behaviors, especially among the younger generation, a clear understanding of the peculiarities of reproductive behavior is currently of great practical importance, including for the development of various kinds of social and demographic programs ^{[35, p. 76]}. These studies may be in demand in the scientific community for a deeper understanding of the values and orientations of young people, so that it is possible to assess the trends in the development of society. The study of the reproductive attitudes of youth as one of the social groups allows us to better understand the motivation and needs of young people who influence various demographic processes. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation, based on a large amount of data, including those related to reproductive attitudes, will be able to take them into account when developing demographic policy and build its effective strategy in order to increase the interest and desire of young people for parenthood, since they can help avoid the more severe consequences of the demographic crisis. In addition, such a study of value orientations and attitudes is a source of information about people's lives, their well-being, and the importance of specific areas of life for them, data on which can be used by a variety of authorities to increase the level of public confidence and their standard of living. However, it must be borne in mind that the opinions and preferences of young people may change over time (in the process of their emotional and psychological maturation, changes in their socio-economic situation), therefore, it is necessary to constantly conduct further research and monitoring in order to obtain more reliable and relevant information about the reproductive plans of young people, as well as to accurately assess and predict trends in the field of ongoing demographic processes.

In turn, the researchers, having identified a number of problems, can offer their own solutions. The state should pay attention to improving the standard of living of people, and especially the welfare of young families. Young people are concerned about the material costs of parenthood, the lack of normal living conditions and the unstable situation in the country. Preferential programs for the purchase of real estate, financial support for young parents, the development of medicine and free basic and additional education will create a more reliable environment that should create a sense of stability, security and support for young people in case they are born with children. Broadcasting in the media the image of positive parenthood and constant support from the state on the example of reference groups can also be used to create the right image of parenthood. Through mass culture (films, TV series, Internet shows, etc.), it is possible to spread the image of a happy large family, where a large number of children in the family creates a more cheerful, friendly, warm and cozy atmosphere. Financial encouragement of having many children should be used by the state as a measure to reduce the risks of a demographic crisis. According to the authors, reducing the optimal age for the birth of a first child is currently difficult due to the priority for young people of material security and the empowerment of women, where they receive education, move up the career ladder and have much more choice than a century ago, therefore, in order to build a competent demographic policy, it is worth focusing on the formation of an attractive image of parenthood in at any age, preferably with a large number of children and on the creation of real measures to support young families and improve the standard of living of people in the country.