Environmental concern and fertility intentions among Canadian university students

Author: Arnocky Steven  

Publisher: Springer Publishing Company

ISSN: 0199-0039

Source: Population and Environment, Vol.34, Iss.2, 2012-12, pp. : 279-292

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Abstract

Little is known about how environmental concern in young adulthood may shape childbearing attitudes and intentions. Here, we examine the relationship between individual environmental concern, fertility intentions, and attitudes toward reproduction in a sample of Canadian university students, N = 139. General environmental concern and pollution-related health concerns both predicted a less positive attitude toward having children. Further, attitude toward having children mediated the negative relationship between pollution-related health concerns and personal fertility intentions. This study offers an important early step in empirical examination of the association between environmental concern and fertility.