Sociale druk in het ouderschap

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine social pressure related to parenthood. The potential effects of gender of the parent and age of the firstborn child were also investigated. The data is collected using a questionnaire based on the five factors of social pressure. 105 parents participated in total (32 fathers, 73 mothers, 40 parents of which the firstborn child is 4 years old or younger, and 65 parents of children aged 5 or older). Results have shown that parents experience a high level of parenthood related social pressure. Mothers experience significantly higher levels of parenthood related social pressure than fathers. There is no significant difference between parents of which the firstborn child is 4 years old or younger and parents of children aged 5 or older. In conclusion, parents do experience parenthood related social pressure. The level of parenthood related social pressure is affected by the gender of the parent. The age of the firstborn child has no effect on the level of parenthood related social that pressure parents experience.