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Updated: May 29, 2026

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
Parenthood, Childlessness, and Well-Being: A Life Course Perspective
Debra Umberson1, Tetyana Pudrovska, Corinne Reczek
1Department of Sociology and Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A1700, Austin, TX 78712.
Abstract:
This article reviews recent research (1999 - 2009) on the effects of parenthood on wellbeing. We use a life course framework to consider how parenting and childlessness influence well-being throughout the adult life course. We place particular emphasis on social contexts and how the impact of parenthood on well-being depends on marital status, gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. We also consider how recent demographic shifts lead to new family arrangements that have implications for parenthood and well-being. These include stepparenting, parenting of grandchildren, and childlessness across the life course.
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