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Educational differences in fertility desires, intentions and behaviour: a life course perspective

Educational differences in fertility desires, intentions and behaviour: a life course perspective
Educational differences in fertility desires, intentions and behaviour: a life course perspective
Despite a long tradition of studying the relationship between education and fertility outcomes less is known about how educational differences in fertility intentions are formed and translated into achieved births over the life course. This paper provides new insights using data from a large cohort study and Miller’s Traits-Desires-Intentions-Behaviour framework for understanding childbearing. We examine how parental aspirations for education, educational ability in childhood, and educational attainment in young adulthood relate to: males’ and females’ fertility desires in adolescence, fertility intentions in early adulthood; and educational differences in the achievement of fertility intentions. We conclude that family building preferences expressed in adolescence, especially those for the timing of entry into parenthood are shaped by parental socio-economic background, mediated through educational ability and parental expectations for education. In young adulthood, no clear, consistent educational gradient in intended family size is found. However, there is a negative educational gradient in the likelihood of achieving intended births by age 46, especially for women. The findings indicate the importance of educational differences in employment and partnership behaviour in mediating these relationships
fertility desires, fertility intentions, life course, education
1879-6974
1-18
Berrington, Ann
bd0fc093-310d-4236-8126-ca0c7eb9ddde
Pattaro, Serena
a2cf7304-ecea-4b59-b89d-968946a78902
Berrington, Ann
bd0fc093-310d-4236-8126-ca0c7eb9ddde
Pattaro, Serena
a2cf7304-ecea-4b59-b89d-968946a78902

Berrington, Ann and Pattaro, Serena (2014) Educational differences in fertility desires, intentions and behaviour: a life course perspective. Advances in Life Course Research, 1-18. (doi:10.1016/j.alcr.2013.12.003).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Despite a long tradition of studying the relationship between education and fertility outcomes less is known about how educational differences in fertility intentions are formed and translated into achieved births over the life course. This paper provides new insights using data from a large cohort study and Miller’s Traits-Desires-Intentions-Behaviour framework for understanding childbearing. We examine how parental aspirations for education, educational ability in childhood, and educational attainment in young adulthood relate to: males’ and females’ fertility desires in adolescence, fertility intentions in early adulthood; and educational differences in the achievement of fertility intentions. We conclude that family building preferences expressed in adolescence, especially those for the timing of entry into parenthood are shaped by parental socio-economic background, mediated through educational ability and parental expectations for education. In young adulthood, no clear, consistent educational gradient in intended family size is found. However, there is a negative educational gradient in the likelihood of achieving intended births by age 46, especially for women. The findings indicate the importance of educational differences in employment and partnership behaviour in mediating these relationships

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e-pub ahead of print date: 15 December 2014
Keywords: fertility desires, fertility intentions, life course, education
Organisations: Social Statistics & Demography

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 360381
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/360381
ISSN: 1879-6974
PURE UUID: cb4c9fc5-0498-4b65-9825-04357d2ab9b9
ORCID for Ann Berrington: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-1683-6668

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Date deposited: 06 Dec 2013 11:20
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:47

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Contributors

Author: Ann Berrington ORCID iD
Author: Serena Pattaro

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