Çocuk Sahibi Olmak: Olumlu ya da Olumsuz Çocuk Sahibi Olma Motivasyonları Sosyodemografik Değişkenlerden Etkileniyor mu?

Öz

Çocuk sahibi olmak, tarih boyunca bireysel ve toplumsal düzeyde önemli bir yaşam kararı olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Günümüzde ise bireylerin çocuk sahibi olma kararları; geleneksel değerlerin yanı sıra ekonomik koşullar, eğitim düzeyi, bireyselleşme eğilimleri ve yaşam beklentileri gibi çeşitli faktörlerin etkisiyle şekillenmektedir. Bu durum, çocuk sahibi olma motivasyonlarını daha karmaşık hale getirmekte ve konuya ilişkin detaylı araştırmaları gerekli kılmaktadır. Bu araştırma, bireylerin çocuk sahibi olmaya yönelik olumlu ve olumsuz motivasyonlarını; cinsiyet, medeni durum, gelir düzeyi, eğitim düzeyi, çocuk sahibi olma durumu ve yaşanılan yer gibi sosyodemografik değişkenlere göre incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Nicel yöntemle ve ilişkisel tarama modeli kapsamında yürütülen çalışmaya 578 birey katılmıştır. Veri toplama sürecinde "Çocuk Sahibi Olma Motivasyonları Ölçeği" ve "Demografik Bilgi Formu" kullanılmıştır. Araştırma bulguları, çocuk sahibi olma motivasyonlarının sosyodemografik değişkenlere göre anlamlı biçimde farklılık gösterdiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Cinsiyet temelinde yapılan analizlerde, kadınların çocuk sahibi olmaya yönelik olumlu motivasyonlarının erkeklere kıyasla daha yüksek olduğu; buna karşılık, erkeklerin olumsuz motivasyon düzeylerinin daha belirgin olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Medeni durum açısından ise evli bireylerin olumlu motivasyon düzeylerinin, boşanmış bireylere göre daha yüksek olduğu görülmüştür. Gelir düzeyi arttıkça bireylerin çocuk sahibi olmaya dair olumlu yaklaşımlarının arttığı belirlenmiştir; ancak gelir düzeyinin artışı olumsuz motivasyonlarda anlamlı bir değişiklik yaratmamaktadır. Çocuk sahibi bireylerin, çocuk sahibi olmayanlara kıyasla olumlu motivasyonlarının daha yüksek, olumsuz motivasyonlarının ise daha düşük olduğu dikkat çekmiştir. Eğitim düzeyine göre yapılan değerlendirmelerde ise eğitim seviyesi yükseldikçe bireylerin çocuk sahibi olma konusunu daha sorgulayıcı bir biçimde ele aldığı ve bu durumun motivasyon düzeylerine anlamlı bir şekilde yansıdığı gözlemlenmiştir. Ayrıca yaşanılan yer değişkeni açısından da dikkat çekici sonuçlar elde edilmiştir. Kırsal bölgelerde yaşayan bireylerin çocuk sahibi olma konusunda daha olumlu yaklaşımlar sergilediği, kentte yaşayan bireylerde ise olumsuz motivasyonların daha yüksek olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu sonuçlar, çocuk sahibi olma kararının yalnızca bireysel değil, aynı zamanda toplumsal etkenlerle de şekillendiğini ortaya koymaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Çocuk Sahibi Olma Motivasyonları
• sosyodemografik
• doğurganlık kararları

Having Children: Are Positive and Negative Childbearing Motivations Influenced by Sociodemographic Variables?

Öz

Childbearing has historically been considered a significant life decision at both individual and societal levels. In today's world, however, individuals' decisions regarding childbearing are shaped not only by traditional values but also by various factors such as economic conditions, level of education, tendencies toward individualization, and life expectations. This multifaceted structure renders childbearing motivations more complex and necessitates in-depth research on the topic. This study aims to examine individuals' positive and negative childbearing motivations in relation to sociodemographic variables such as gender, marital status, income level, education level, parental status, and place of residence. The research was conducted using a quantitative method and a relational survey model, with a total of 578 participants. Data were collected through the “Motivations for Having Children Scale” and a “Demographic Information Form.” The findings reveal that childbearing motivations significantly differ according to various sociodemographic characteristics. Gender-based analyses show that women have higher levels of positive motivation toward childbearing compared to men, while men exhibit more pronounced negative motivations. In terms of marital status, married individuals display higher positive motivation levels than divorced individuals. As income levels increase, positive childbearing motivations also rise; however, no significant change is observed in negative motivations. Furthermore, individuals who are already parents demonstrate stronger positive motivations and lower negative motivations than those who are not. Regarding education, higher levels of education are associated with a more questioning approach toward childbearing decisions, which is reflected in the motivation levels. Lastly, place of residence also plays a notable role: individuals living in rural areas tend to have more positive motivations, whereas those living in urban settings show higher levels of negative motivations. These results indicate that childbearing decisions are shaped not only by personal factors but also by broader societal influences.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Childbearing Motivations
• Sociodemographic
• Childbearing decisions

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