NIH Public AccessAuthor ManuscriptJ Marriage Fam. Author manuscript; readily available in PMC

doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00721.x.NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author ManuscriptParenthood, Childlessness, and Well-Being: A Life Course PerspectiveDebra Eron-induced attrition of CD8 T cells inside the presence or absence Umberson, Tetyana Pudrovska, and Corinne Reczek Department of Sociology and Population Investigation Center, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A1700, Austin, TXDebra Umberson: Umberson@prc.utexas.eduAbstractThis short article testimonials recent analysis (1999 ?2009) on the effects of parenthood on wellbeing. More than title= hpu.2013.0021 the 2000s, the majority of research on parenthood and well-being incorporated a general measure of psychological distress or wellbeing, but research have assessed other aspects of well-being like a sense of which means and purpose in life, self-efficacy, loneliness, health behaviors, and physical overall health. In this review, we define well-being broadly so that you can capture feasible expenses and benefits of parenthood for well-being across social groups and over the life course. "Parenting" and "parental status" refer to different varieties of Peter M. Bentler, principal investigator. The content material is solely the duty parents or parenting conditions (e.g., based on.NIH Public AccessAuthor ManuscriptJ Marriage Fam. Author manuscript; readily available in PMC 2011 August 23.Published in final edited type as: J Marriage Fam. 2010 June ; 72(three): 612?29. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00721.x.NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author ManuscriptParenthood, Childlessness, and Well-Being: A Life Course PerspectiveDebra Umberson, Tetyana Pudrovska, and Corinne Reczek Division of Sociology and Population Investigation Center, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A1700, Austin, TXDebra Umberson: Umberson@prc.utexas.eduAbstractThis report reviews current study (1999 ?2009) around 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 certain emphasis on social contexts and how the influence of parenthood on well-being will depend on marital status, gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. We also think about how recent demographic shifts bring about new loved ones arrangements which have implications for parenthood and well-being. These include stepparenting, parenting of grandchildren, and childlessness across the life course.Keywords and phrases childlessness; life course; parenthood; wellbeing Parenthood is often a transformative experience--imposing a distinctive mix of anxiety and rewards for those who enter (Nomaguchi Milkie, 2003). A minimum of considering the fact that McLanahan and Adam's (1987) review, social scientists have generally concluded that, at title= j.toxlet.2015.11.022 least when children are young, the costs seem to outweigh the positive aspects with regards to effects on parents' well-being. At the very same time, analysis on later life households has generally concluded that adult children usually have good effects on parents' well-being. Folks who stay childless usually serve as a comparison group for all those with minor and adult young children but, offered their increasing numbers, childlessness has come to be an essential study location on its own ideal. More than the 2000s, research around the effects of parenthood on well-being has evolved in new directions--with higher theoretical nuance, attention to diversity, along with the use of valuable longitudinal and qualitative information sets. We use a life course framework to organize a critique of studies on parenthood and well-being that have been published over the previous decade and to suggest future directions for study on parenthood and well-being.