Parenthood Fails to Boost Happiness or Life Satisfaction, Major Study Reveals
Contrary to the popular notion of children as a 'bundle of joy', a new study has found that becoming a parent does not lead to a significant increase in happiness or overall life satisfaction. Researchers discovered that there is hardly any difference in reported happiness levels between parents and non-parents, challenging the widespread belief that children are primary sources of positive emotions.
Neutral Impact on Wellbeing
The study, published in the journal Evolutionary Psychology, analysed data from over 5,000 individuals across 10 countries, including the United Kingdom. Of the participants, 38.5 percent reported having children. They completed questionnaires assessing two types of wellbeing: hedonic, which relates to day-to-day feelings like happiness and sadness, and eudaimonic, which concerns having a purpose in life.
Analysis showed that parents were no happier than non-parents, and overall life satisfaction levels were largely similar. The researchers, from the University of Nicosia in Cyprus, stated, 'These results do not support our hypothesis that parenthood is positively associated with hedonic wellbeing and life satisfaction. Instead, our findings suggest neutrality – namely, that parenthood has limited impact on these dimensions.'
Relationship Satisfaction Declines
Interestingly, the study also revealed that becoming a parent triggers a decline in relationship satisfaction. Participants with children reported lower relationship satisfaction compared to those without children. The researchers explained that parenthood exerts two opposing influences on couples: a positive one from mutual genetic interests fostering cooperation, and a negative one from financial costs, time demands, and stressors of child-rearing, which strain relationships.
Purpose vs. Happiness
While women with children reported a slightly greater sense of having a 'purpose' in life, the difference was minimal. The team noted that any positive link between parenthood and happiness observed in previous studies might actually be attributed to relationship status, as people in relationships tend to be emotionally better off and more likely to have children.
Brief Emotional Experiences
The researchers suggest that rather than providing long-term boosts to happiness, children offer intense but brief positive emotional experiences, such as feelings of joy and pride during milestones like a child's graduation. However, these moments are too fleeting to sustain an uplift in happiness levels. A 2016 study found that the positive glow of parenting typically lasts only about 12 months, with no improvement in subjective wellbeing thereafter.
Managing Expectations
This research can be valuable for individuals considering parenthood, especially if they expect sustained increases in happiness. The team cautioned, 'These expectations will likely not materialise. Our results combined with previous literature suggest that parenting has many rewards, but a permanent increase in baseline hedonic wellbeing is unlikely to be one of them.'
Previous studies have shown conflicting views, with one involving nearly 60,000 people in Europe finding that 90 percent agreed 'watching children grow up is life's greatest joy', and another revealing 97 percent of parents endorse children as sources of positive emotional experiences. However, the new study underscores that these perceptions do not translate into measurable, lasting happiness gains.
