AUTHOR=Zheng Jiansong , Wang Xi , Xie Sujun , Wang Hao , Shen Junxian , Zhang Tao 

TITLE=The mediating role of trust in government in intergenerational transmission of fertility intentions

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1338122

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2024.1338122

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=China's government conducted the one-child policy from 1982 to 2015. However, the literature examining the association between the trust in local governments and the intergenerational transmission of fertility intentions is scarce. To fill this gap, we investigated the impacts of individuals' sibship size on their ideal number of children, the mediating effect of their trust in local government on the line of fertility between two successive generations, and the moderating effect of education level on sibship size related to trust in local governments. Based on data from the 2019 Chinese Social Survey, 2340 respondents aged 18-35 participated in the analysis. The results showed that (i) individuals' number of siblings significantly positively predicted their ideal number of children. (ii) Individuals' number of siblings significantly negatively predicted their trust in the local government, which in turn significantly negatively influenced fertility intentions. (iii) The mediating mechanism was significant in residents with higher levels of education, but not in people with lower degrees of education. Fertility-boosting incentives can prioritize couples who are the only child in their family of origin. It is necessary for local governments to improve their credibility, and strengthen pregnancy related communication with groups with higher levels of education attainments.