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Why Parents’ Fertility Plans Changed in China: A Longitudinal Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2022

Cong Zhang Open the ORCID record for Cong Zhang [Opens in a new window] ,
Aaron Z. Yang ,
Sungwon Kim  and
Vanessa L. Fong
Cong Zhang*
Affiliation:
School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Aaron Z. Yang
Affiliation:
Anuban Muang Chiang Rai School in Muang District, Chiang Rai, Thailand
Sungwon Kim
Affiliation:
Department of Education, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
Vanessa L. Fong
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Amherst College, Amherst, MA, USA
*
Corresponding author: Cong Zhang, email: congzhang@fudan.edu.cn
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Abstract

This article examines the fertility desires, intentions and outcomes of 406 alumni of a middle school in Dalian city, Liaoning province, when they were surveyed in 2014–2015 (during their late 20s and early 30s). It also looks at how and why the fertility desires, plans and outcomes of a 47-member representative subsample and their spouses changed from year to year as they moved through their 20s and 30s between 2008 and 2021. Although most respondents started out wanting two children, longitudinal interviews with the representative subsample and their spouses showed that most gradually resigned themselves to having no more than one child. This was because they felt unable to provide two children with the high standard of living and childcare that their own experiences as singletons had led them to consider essential for proper childrearing.

摘要

摘要

本文研究了中国辽宁省大连市一所中学 406 名校友在 2014–2015 年（30 岁前后）接受调查时的生育意愿和实际生育子女数量，以及其中47名具有代表性的子样本及其配偶，在 2008 至 2021 年间 (即其最易生育期间) 生育愿望、生育计划和生育子女数量的逐年变化及其原因。尽管大多数受访者最初希望生育两个孩子，但针对代表性子样本及其配偶的纵向访谈表明，他们中的大多数逐渐屈从于生育不超过一个孩子，因为他们无法为两个孩子提供高标准的生活和照料，而作为独生子女的自身经历使他们认为这是优质育儿的必要条件。

Keywords

fertility intentionsfertility outcomestwo-child policychildcarechildrearingChina生育意愿生育结果二孩政策儿童照料儿童养育中国
Type
Research Article
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 253 , March 2023 , pp. 183 - 196
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of SOAS University of London

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