Understanding the link between parentification and desire to have children: moderating role of perceived fairness

Childhood experiences of assuming adult-like roles and responsibilities (parentification) can substantially affect a person's functioning at different stages of adult development. This study explores how childhood parentification and its perceived fairness are related to young adults' childbearing motivations (positive and negative) and desire to become a parent. We examine the role of instrumental as well as emotional parentification.

The Childbearing Questionnaire-Short-Form and the Filial Responsibility Scale-Adult were administered to 491 Polish childless men and women (18-35 years old). Moderated mediation models were applied.

We found that those who reported higher levels of parentification in childhood also exhibited a stronger desire to have a first child. The analysis of moderated mediation models demonstrated that both forms of parentification indirectly increased the desire to have a child through higher positive childbearing motivation. However, these effects were weaker (or nonsignificant) for those who felt their childhood roles were unfair.

Our findings support and advance existing theoretical models of parentification and childbearing decisions by highlighting the important role of the perceived fairness of parentification in the choice to become a parent.