Description:
The recent proliferation of studies examining cross-national variation in the association between parenthood and happiness reveal accumulating evidence of lower levels of happiness among parents than nonparents in most advanced industrialized societies. Conceptualizing parenting as a stressor buffered by institutional support, the authors hypothesize that parental status differences in happiness are smaller in countries providing more resources and support to families. Analyses of the European Social Surveys and International Social Survey Programme reveal considerable variation in the parenthood gap in happiness across countries, with the United States showing the largest disadvantage of parenthood. The authors found that more generous family policies, particularly paid time off and child-care subsidies, are associated with smaller disparities in happiness between parents and nonparents. Moreover, the policies that augment parental happiness do not reduce the happiness of nonparents. These results shed light on macrolevel causes of emotional processes, with important implications for public policy. (author abstract)
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
Funder(s):
Country:
United States;
Sweden;
Russia;
Portugal;
Poland;
New Zealand;
Norway;
Netherlands;
Israel;
Ireland;
Hungary;
Greece;
United Kingdom;
France;
Finland;
Spain;
Denmark;
Germany;
Czechia;
Switzerland;
Belgium;
Australia