ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Sociol.
Sec. Sociology of Families
The Influence of the Value of Children on the Fertility Intentions of People of Childbearing Age in China
Provisionally accepted
Jinming Fang1*
Ling Liu2- 1Office of Quality Management., Wuhan Fourth Hospital, Wuhan, China
- 2Department of Scientific Research., The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Wuhan, China
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Objective: This study aims to explore the mechanisms through which the multidimensional reconstruction of childbearing values in the post-pandemic era influences fertility intentions among Chinese individuals of reproductive age, while elucidating the interplay between economic rationality and cultural norms in fertility decision-making, thereby providing theoretical foundations for targeted fertility policy formulation. Methods: Utilizing data from the 2022 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), we analyzed a sample of 1,758 individuals of reproductive age. Factor analysis was employed to extract three dimensions of childbearing values—psychological affection, economic utility, and familial responsibility. A logistic regression model incorporating control variables (gender, household registration, education, etc.) was constructed, followed by heterogeneity analyses across demographic subgroups. Results: All three dimensions of childbearing values exhibited significant positive effects on fertility intentions, with familial responsibility demonstrating the strongest impact (coefficient = 0.249 ,p<0.01***). Heterogeneity analysis revealed that psychological affection predominantly influenced females (coefficient = 0.316, p<0.05**) and rural populations, while economic utility exerted a pronounced effect on high-income groups (coefficient = 0.306, p<0.05**). Educational attainment consistently enhanced fertility intentions (coefficient = 0.206***)., p<0.01). Conclusion: Fertility decisions emerge as a dynamic interplay between cultural values and resource endowments. Sustainable enhancement of fertility intentions necessitates differentiated policy interventions that reinforce familial responsibility, alleviate economic constraints, and address emotional needs.
Keywords: fertility intention, Value of children, Psychological affection, Familialresponsibility, CFPS
Received: 19 Aug 2025; Accepted: 30 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Fang and Liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jinming Fang, fangjinming1983@126.com
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