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Gender Role Attitudes, Family Formation and Well-being in Ireland

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Gender, Lifespan and Quality of Life

Part of the book series: Social Indicators Research Series ((SINS,volume 53))

Abstract

The last several decades have witnessed major changes in gender roles and family patterns, as well as a falling birth rate in Ireland and the rest of Europe. These have included an increase in cohabitation, postponement of marriage, an increased likelihood of remaining single and delayed fertility. However the reasons why people are making these choices are not fully understood and it is also not clear if these choices are leading to greater well-being. The present study explored people’s attitudes to family formation in the context of changes in gender role attitudes and behaviour and the changing nature of the family. The study was based on a nationwide sample of 1,404 people in the childbearing age group (aged 20–49) in the Republic of Ireland. Results showed strong support for women’s economic independence and maternal employment. Yet the findings also suggested that women’s success in the workplace may come at a personal price, with many women fearing there will be a personal backlash to their success. There was evidence that delays in couple formation were contributing to a smaller window of opportunity for women to have children and this is contributing to the fall in the birth rate. Being married was found to be associated with the greatest overall well-being, cohabiting with the next highest and being single with the lowest level of well-being. In view of the increasing proportion of single people in the population, policy needs to address itself to increasing the social integration of this group.

This paper is based on the results of a larger study of “Changing Gender Role Attitudes and Behaviour: Implications for Family Formation in Ireland,” supported by the Family Support Agency, Ireland. The support of the Agency is gratefully acknowledged. The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Family Support Agency. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 11th International Conference of the International Society for Quality of Life Studies (ISQOLS), Università Cà Foscari, Venice, 1–4 November 2012.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, School of Social Sciences & Philosophy, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Prof. Margret Fine-Davis

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Correspondence to Margret Fine-Davis .

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  1. Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

    Elizabeth Eckermann

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Fine-Davis, M. (2014). Gender Role Attitudes, Family Formation and Well-being in Ireland. In: Eckermann, E. (eds) Gender, Lifespan and Quality of Life. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 53. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7829-0_13

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