Parental well-being through the eyes of Russian men
Research Article
Acknowledgments
The research was supported by the grant of the Russian Science Foundation (project No. 22–18–00614) “Researching the Impact of Digital Employment on Fertility and Parental Well-Being”. – URL: https://rscf.ru/project/22-18-00614/.
How to Cite
Tonkikh N.V., Kamarova T.A., Markova T.L. Parental well-being through the eyes of Russian men. Population. 2024. Vol. 27. No. S1. P. 66-80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24412/1561-7785-2024-S1-66-80 (in Russ.).
Abstract
The article problematizes the relevance of studying modern paternity practices, summarizes the results of empirical data from Western sociology on the factors and gender specifics of parental well-being. The authors present new findings of an exploratory study of the determinants of parental well-being. With the help of qualitative methods of semantic analysis of the content of written narratives, the basic markers of parental well-being in the perceptions of Russian men were identified (in descending order of importance): “relationships and care for children/family”; “security: income, work, housing”; “health”; “well-being and success of children”, “complete family”. The differentiation of associative ideas about parental well-being depending on the presence of children and their age was examined. In the group of fathers whose children are older than 14 years, the relevance of the material factor decreases, the importance of social success and achievements of children grows. Young childless men are significantly more likely to associate their ideas about parental well-being with financial security, still considering trusting relationships, harmony, happiness and love as the main foundation. The empirics was formed using a standard online survey technology, the period of conducting: April — June 2023. The design of the study follows the author’s “women’s” project of 2022, that made it possible to identify gender specifics. Unlike women, the factor of time devoted to children is insignificant for men; they closely associate parental well-being with family well-being, mention the need for a complete family much more often, emphasize the importance of relationships not only with children, and talk about a general family atmosphere. The male paradigm is dominated by an activity approach, expressed in the ability to take care of children and family. The study confirms the need to apply the principle of targeting in the development of technologies for popularizing the value of parenthood, taking into account gender and age characteristics and marital status.
Keywords:
parental well-being, family well-being, gender, men, parenthood, fatherhood, gender studies
References
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14. Nelson-Coffey S. K., Killingsworth M., Layous K. et al. Parenthood is associated with greater well-being for fathers than mothers. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 2019. Vol. 45. No. 9. P. 1378–1390. DOI: 10.1177/0146167219829174
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18. Negraia D. V., Yavorsky J. E., Dukhovnov D. Mothers’ and fathers’ well-being: does the gender composition of children matter? Journal of Marriage and Family. 2021. Vol. 83. No. 3. P. 820–844. DOI: 10.1111/jomf.12739
19. Waldvogel P., Ehlert U. Contemporary fatherhood and its consequences for paternal psychological well-being — a cross-sectional study of fathers in Central Europe. Frontiers in Public Health. 2016. Vol. 4. P. 199. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00199
20. Baldwin S., Malone M., Sandall J., Bick D. Mental health and wellbeing during the transition to fatherhood: a systematic review of first time fathers’ experiences. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports. 2018. Vol. 16. No. 11. P. 2118–2191. DOI: 10.11124/jbisrir-2017-003773
21. Nomaguchi K., Johnson W. Parenting stress among low-income and working-class fathers: the role of еmployment. Journal of Family Issues. 2016. Vol. 37. No. 11. P. 1535–1557. DOI: 10.1177/0192513X14560642
22. Musick K., Meier A., Flood S. How parents fare: Mothers’ and fathers’ subjective well-being in time with children. American Sociological Review. 2016. Vol. 81. No. 5. P. 1069–1095. DOI: 10.1177/0003122416663917
23. Nomaguchi K. M., Milkie M. A., Bianchi S. M. Time strains and psychological well-being: do dual-earner mothers and fathers differ? Journal of Family Issues. 2005. Vol. 26. No. 6. P. 756–792. DOI: 10.1177/0192513X05277524
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27. Bezrukova O. N. Ottsovstvo v transformirujushchemsja obshchestve: ozhidanija materej i praktiki ottsov [Fatherhood in transforming society. Mothers’ expectations and fathers’ practices]. Sotsiologicheskije issledovanija [Sociological Studies]. 2013. No. 11(355). P. 118–130. (in Russ.)
28. Kon I. S. Gender i maskulinnost’, synov’ja i ottsy [Gender and masculinity, sons and fathers]. Zhurnal sotsiologii i sotsial’noj antropologii [The Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology]. 2012. Vol. 15. No. 1. P. 48–64. (in Russ.)
29. Kotlyarova O. V. Muzhestvennost’ i zhenstvennost’, maskulinnost’ i feminnost’ kak fundamental’nyje svojstva v formate genderistiki [Masculinity and femininity, maleness and womanliness as fundamental properties in the format of genderistics]. Universum: filologija i iskusstvovedenije [Universum: Philology and Art History]. 2015. No. 9–10(22). Available at: https://7universum.com/ru/philology/archive/item/2650. (in Russ.)
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2. Maltseva D. V. Teoreticheskije podkhody k izucheniju ottsovstva v sovremennoj zapadnoj sotsiologii [Theoretical approaches to studying paternity in modern Western sociology]. Monitoring obshchestvennogo mnenija: ekonomicheskije i sotsial’nyje peremeny [Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes Journal]. 2010. No. 5(99). P. 272–289. (in Russ.)
3. Ildarkhanova Ch. I., Barsukov V. N. Sostojanije i transformatsija instituta ottsovstva: obzor zarubezhnykh issledovanij [The state and transformation of the fatherhood institute: a review of foreign studies]. Gumanitarij Juga Rossii [Humanitarians of the South of Russia]. 2019. Vol. 8. No. 6. P. 211–227. (in Russ.)
4. Bezrukova O. N., Samoylova V. A. Ottsovstvo i podderzhka ottsov: trendy sovremennykh zarubezhnykh issledovanij [Fatherhood and support for fathers: trends in modern foreign studies]. Monitoring obshchestvennogo mnenija: ekonomicheskije i sotsial’nyje peremeny [Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes Journal]. 2020. No. 4(158). P. 232–272. DOI: 10.14515/monitoring.2020.4.948 (in Russ.)
5. Sinelnikov A. B. Supruzhestvo, ottsovstvo i materinstvo v rossijskom obshchestve [Marriage, fatherhood and motherhood in Russian society]. Sotsiologicheskij zhurnal [Sociological Journal]. 2015. Vol. 21. No. 4. P. 132–148. DOI: 10.19181/socjour.2015.21.4.3068 (in Russ.)
6. Ildarkhanova Ch. I., Gabdrakhmanova G. Z. Problema ottsovstva kak fenomen roditel’stva: sotsializatsionnyj podkhod [The problem of fatherhood as a phenomenon of parenthood: socialization approach]. Nauchnyje trudy Tsentra perspektivnykh ekonomicheskikh issledovanij [Scientific Works of the Center for Advanced Economic Research]. 2019. No. 17. P. 172–177. (in Russ.)
7. Bezrukova O. N., Samoylova V. A. Ottsovstvo v sovremennoj Rossii: smysly, tsennosti, praktiki i mezhpokolencheskaja transljatsija [Fatherhood in modern Russia: meanings, values, practices and intergenerational translation]. Sotsiologicheskije issledovanija [Sociological Studies]. 2022. No. 2. P. 94–106. DOI: 10.31857/S013216250016970-0 (in Russ.)
8. Rimashevskaya N. M., Malysheva M. M., Pisklakova-Parker M. P. Balans professional’nykh i semejnykh rolej ottsov kak zalog ustojchivosti sem’i i obshchestva [Balancing fathers: matching professional and family roles as a cornerstone of society’s sustainability]. Narodonaselenie [Population]. 2017. No. 2(76). P. 28–41. (in Russ.)
9. Ildarkhanova Ch. I., Kalachikova O. N. Kontseptualizatsija ponjatija «generativnoje povedenije muzhchin»: metodologicheskije vozmozhnosti gendernogo podkhoda [Conceptualization of the term “generative behavior of men”: methodological potential of gender approach]. Kazanskij ekonomicheskij vestnik [Kazan Economic Bulletin]. 2019. No. 5(43). P. 77–84. (in Russ.)
10. Janak A. L. Otcovskaja vovlechennost’ v sem’jakh razlichnykh tipov [Father involvement in different types of families]. Vestnik Nizhegorodskogo universiteta im. N. I. Lobachevskogo. Serija: Sotsial’nyje nauki [Vestnik of Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod. Series: Social Sciences]. 2018. No. 2(50). P. 124–131. (in Russ.)
11. Rozhdestvenskaya E. Yu. Vovlechjonnoje otcovstvo, zabotlivaja maskulinnost’ [Involved fatherhood, caring masculinity]. Monitoring obshchestvennogo mnenija: ekonomicheskije i sotsial’nyje peremeny [Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes Journal]. 2020. No. 5(159). P. 155–185. DOI: 10.14515/monitoring.2020.5.1676 (in Russ.)
12. Gurko T. A. Dinamika blagopoluchija ottsov i materej, imejushchikh nesovershennoletnikh detej [Dynamics of well-being of fathers and mothers with minor children]. Sotsiologicheskaja nauka i sotsial’naja praktika [Sociological Science and Social Practice]. 2021. Vol. 9. No. 3(35). P. 59–72. DOI: 10.19181/snsp.2021.9.3.8433 (in Russ.)
13. Tonkikh N. V. Roditel’skoje blagopoluchije glazami rossijskikh zhenshchin [Parental well-being: Russian women’s view]. Narodonaselenie [Population]. 2022. Vol. 25. No. 4. P. 42–54. DOI: 10.19181/population.2022.25.4.4 (in Russ.)
14. Nelson-Coffey S. K., Killingsworth M., Layous K. et al. Parenthood is associated with greater well-being for fathers than mothers. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 2019. Vol. 45. No. 9. P. 1378–1390. DOI: 10.1177/0146167219829174
15. Skreden M., Skari H., Malt U. F. et al. Parenting stress and emotional wellbeing in mothers and fathers of preschool children. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. 2012. Vol. 40. No. 7. P. 596– 604. DOI: 10.1177/1403494812460347
16. Pollmann-Schult M. Parenthood and life satisfaction: why don’t children make people happy? Journal of Marriage and Family. 2014. Vol. 76. No. 2. P. 319–336. DOI: 10.1111/jomf.12095
17. Nomaguchi K. M. Parenthood and psychological well-being: clarifying the role of child age and parent–child relationship quality. Social Science Research. 2012. Vol. 41. No. 2. P. 489–498. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2011.08.001
18. Negraia D. V., Yavorsky J. E., Dukhovnov D. Mothers’ and fathers’ well-being: does the gender composition of children matter? Journal of Marriage and Family. 2021. Vol. 83. No. 3. P. 820–844. DOI: 10.1111/jomf.12739
19. Waldvogel P., Ehlert U. Contemporary fatherhood and its consequences for paternal psychological well-being — a cross-sectional study of fathers in Central Europe. Frontiers in Public Health. 2016. Vol. 4. P. 199. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00199
20. Baldwin S., Malone M., Sandall J., Bick D. Mental health and wellbeing during the transition to fatherhood: a systematic review of first time fathers’ experiences. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports. 2018. Vol. 16. No. 11. P. 2118–2191. DOI: 10.11124/jbisrir-2017-003773
21. Nomaguchi K., Johnson W. Parenting stress among low-income and working-class fathers: the role of еmployment. Journal of Family Issues. 2016. Vol. 37. No. 11. P. 1535–1557. DOI: 10.1177/0192513X14560642
22. Musick K., Meier A., Flood S. How parents fare: Mothers’ and fathers’ subjective well-being in time with children. American Sociological Review. 2016. Vol. 81. No. 5. P. 1069–1095. DOI: 10.1177/0003122416663917
23. Nomaguchi K. M., Milkie M. A., Bianchi S. M. Time strains and psychological well-being: do dual-earner mothers and fathers differ? Journal of Family Issues. 2005. Vol. 26. No. 6. P. 756–792. DOI: 10.1177/0192513X05277524
24. LaRossa R. The Modernization of Fatherhood: A Social and Political History. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997. 320 p.
25. Pleck E. H., Pleck J. H. Fatherhood ideals in the United States: historical dimensions. The Role of the Father in Child Development. Ed. M. Lamb. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1997. P. 33–48.
26. Kon I. S. Muzhchina v menjajushchemsja mire [Man in a changing world]. Vestnik Rossiyskogo gumanitarnogo nauchnogo fonda [Bulletin of the Russian Foundation for the Humanities]. 2009. No. 3(56). P. 186–195. (in Russ.)
27. Bezrukova O. N. Ottsovstvo v transformirujushchemsja obshchestve: ozhidanija materej i praktiki ottsov [Fatherhood in transforming society. Mothers’ expectations and fathers’ practices]. Sotsiologicheskije issledovanija [Sociological Studies]. 2013. No. 11(355). P. 118–130. (in Russ.)
28. Kon I. S. Gender i maskulinnost’, synov’ja i ottsy [Gender and masculinity, sons and fathers]. Zhurnal sotsiologii i sotsial’noj antropologii [The Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology]. 2012. Vol. 15. No. 1. P. 48–64. (in Russ.)
29. Kotlyarova O. V. Muzhestvennost’ i zhenstvennost’, maskulinnost’ i feminnost’ kak fundamental’nyje svojstva v formate genderistiki [Masculinity and femininity, maleness and womanliness as fundamental properties in the format of genderistics]. Universum: filologija i iskusstvovedenije [Universum: Philology and Art History]. 2015. No. 9–10(22). Available at: https://7universum.com/ru/philology/archive/item/2650. (in Russ.)
30. Karpova A. Yu., Saveliev A. O., Kuznetsov S. A. Transformatsija sotsial’nykh praktik otvetstvennogo ottsovstva v deviantnyje formy sotsial’noj aktivnosti [Transformation of social practices of responsible fatherhood into deviant forms of social activity]. Vektory blagopoluchija: ekonomika i sotsium [Journal of Wellbeing Technologies]. 2021. No. 4(43). P. 107–118. DOI: 10.18799/26584956/2021/4(43)/1130 (in Russ.)
Article
Received: 28.07.2023
Accepted: 24.05.2024
Citation Formats
Other cite formats:
APA
Tonkikh, N. V., Kamarova, T. A., & Markova, T. L. (2024). Parental well-being through the eyes of Russian men. Population, 27(S1), 66-80. https://doi.org/10.24412/1561-7785-2024-S1-66-80
Section
INTRAFAMILY RELATIONS
