Between desire and decision: The choice to have children in actuality

Authors

  • Denise Bernardi Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
  • Terezinha Féres-Carneiro Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
  • Andrea Seixas Magalhães Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4013/ctc.2018.112.02

Abstract

The present study is part of a wider investigation into the postponement of the parental project. In this article, the factors involved in the present postponement of the project to have children will be discussed. For that, a qualitative research was carried out, in which five men and five women from the middle socioeconomic segment, members of distinct couples, between 33 and 37 years old, without children, were interviewed. The results were analyzed according to the content analysis method. From the analysis of the material six categories of analysis emerged. To achieve the objectives of this paper, the following categories will be discussed: reasons for postponing the project of having children and reasons for not postponing the project of having children. The results showed that there is a social influence for the married couple to become a parental couple. However, the project of having children is increasingly one that is being rethought. It has been found that the decision to have children is a complex experience, and involves many factors.

Keywords: couple, children, parenting.

Author Biographies

Denise Bernardi, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro

Doutoranda em Psicologia Clínica pela PUC-Rio. Mestre em Psicologia Clínica pela PUC-Rio. Especialista em Psicologia Clínica pela PUCPR e em Psicoterapia de Família e Casal pela PUC-Rio.

Terezinha Féres-Carneiro, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro

Professora Titular do Departamento de Psicologia da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Coordenadora do Curso de Especialização em Psicoterapia de Família e Casal da PUC-Rio.

Andrea Seixas Magalhães, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro

Professora Associada do Departamento de Psicologia da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Professora do Curso de Especialização em Psicoterapia de Família e Casal da PUC-Rio.

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Published

2018-08-09

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 2 (2018): May-Aug

Section

Articles

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