Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Depression, parenthood, and age at first birth.

John Mirowsky1, Catherine E Ross

  • 1Department of Sociology, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210-1352, USA. mirowsky.1@osu.edu

Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|May 7, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Having children earlier in adulthood is linked to increased depression, while delaying first birth is associated with better mental well-being. This effect varies by sex, with optimal timing around age 30 for women.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Bradycardia with haemodynamic compromise in children: A scoping review.

Resuscitation plus·2025
Same author

Cardiac Arrest Pharmacopeia: A Personalized Approach to Drug Administration During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

Critical care clinics·2025
Same author

Part 8: Pediatric Advanced Life Support: 2025 American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care.

Pediatrics·2025
Same author

Part 8: Pediatric Advanced Life Support: 2025 American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care.

Circulation·2025
Same author

Predictors of response to peri-arrest bolus epinephrine in children.

Resuscitation plus·2025
Same author

Early Sodium Bicarbonate Use in Pediatric In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Single-Center, Retrospective Cohort Study, 2013-2023.

Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies·2025

Area of Science:

  • Sociology
  • Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Parenthood timing significantly impacts adult life trajectories.
  • Early first birth may indicate adolescent transition disruption with long-term emotional consequences.
  • Understanding the relationship between age at first birth and depression is crucial for mental health research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the hypothesis that the correlation between depression and parenthood is moderated by age at first birth.
  • To investigate the influence of early versus delayed first birth on adult emotional well-being.
  • To explore sex differences in the association between age at first birth and depression.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from a 1995 survey of 2592 US adults (aged 18-95).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Statistical adjustment for covariates including age, sex, minority status, and parental education.
  • Regression analyses to identify factors mediating the benefits of delayed first birth.

    • Main Results:

    • A negative association exists between age at first birth and current depression symptoms.
    • Adults with a first birth before age 23 reported more depression than nonparents.
    • Adults with a first birth after age 23 reported fewer depression symptoms than nonparents.
    • The association was monotonic for males and parabolic for females, with lowest depression around age 30 for women.
    • Benefits of delayed first birth linked to later marriage, higher education, and improved socioeconomic and health factors.

    Conclusions:

    • Age at first birth is a significant factor in the relationship between parenthood and depression.
    • Delaying first birth is generally associated with better mental health outcomes, mediated by socioeconomic and health factors.
    • While delaying childbirth offers emotional benefits, health considerations can moderate these effects for women.