Previous studies showed that worries about the economic situation and job security are associated with childbearing, but evidence is scarce on whether worries about other personal and social issues are also related to childbearing. Drawing on the German Socio‐Economic Panel Study, this study examined the relationship between worries about various personal and social issues and the likelihood of having children. Based on exploratory factor analysis, worries were categorized into social/environment and economy/safety factors. Cox regression models showed that social/environment worries were associated with a decreased likelihood of having children, even after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, personality traits, and political attitudes. Among specific worries, concerns about environmental protection, climate change, personal health, peace, immigration to Germany, and hostility toward immigrants were linked to a decreased likelihood of having children. Notably, worries about the economy in general were strongly associated with a reduced probability of becoming a parent among childless individuals, with a 25 percent lower likelihood for those highly worried about it. Similarly, childless individuals highly worried about climate change exhibit a 16 percent lower likelihood of parenthood. Our findings highlight the role of other worries in childbearing in addition to economic uncertainty and suggest that fertility decreases when the future is perceived as uncertain.

中文翻译：

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与生育可能性相关的个人和社会担忧


此前的研究表明，对经济状况和工作保障的担忧与生育有关，但缺乏证据表明对其他个人和社会问题的担忧是否也与生育有关。这项研究借鉴了德国社会经济小组研究，探讨了对各种个人和社会问题的担忧与生育孩子的可能性之间的关系。根据探索性因素分析，担忧分为社会/环境和经​​济/安全因素。考克斯回归模型表明，即使在调整了社会人口特征、人格特征和政治态度之后，社会/环境担忧也与生育孩子的可能性降低有关。在具体的担忧中，对环境保护、气候变化、个人健康、和平、移民德国以及对移民的敌意的担忧与生育孩子的可能性下降有关。值得注意的是，对总体经济的担忧与无子女个体成为父母的可能性降低密切相关，对于那些高度担心的人来说，成为父母的可能性降低了 25%。同样，高度担心气候变化的无子女个体为人父母的可能性要低 16%。我们的研究结果强调了除了经济不确定性之外，其他担忧在生育方面的作用，并表明当未来被认为不确定时，生育率就会下降。