Depressive Symptome und Kinderwunsch: Eine Untersuchung von Motiven sowie wahrgenommenen Kosten und Nutzen

<p>Abstract</p><p>Objective of the Study</p><p>The objective of this study was to examine the influence of depressive symptoms on the perception of motivations for wanting children, as well as on the assessment of the perceived costs and benefits of having children, among individuals with mental illness. The relationship between mental illness and the desire to have children has been insufficiently researched to date, although it is highly relevant for counseling and therapy.</p><p>Methodology</p><p>A quantitative online survey was conducted with 105 participants recruited through the University Outpatient Clinic for Psychotherapy at the University of Cologne. The Value of Children (VoC) questionnaire was used to assess attitudes toward children. Motives for wanting children were assessed using a series of specially developed items based on previous research, including the expanded version of the Leipzig Questionnaire on Motives for Wanting Children (LKM-E). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the PHQ-9. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression.</p><p>Results</p><p>The results show that depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with perceptions of the advantages or disadvantages of having children. Likewise, no significant association was found with positive motivations for having children. In contrast, there was a highly significant association between depressive symptoms and negative motivations for having children (β=2.18, p<0.001), indicating a pessimistic view of parenthood among affected individuals.</p><p>Discussion</p><p>The present findings suggest that the negative outlook of people with depression can lead to a pessimistic assessment of family planning. While the hypotheses regarding positive motives were not confirmed, the identification of negative motives is important for psychotherapeutic interventions. The discrepancies with earlier studies regarding the VoC scales could be attributed to different measurement methods and samples.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Therapists should specifically integrate the topic of the desire to have children into psychotherapeutic work in order to challenge cognitive distortions and facilitate a reflective examination of potential parenting aspirations. Further studies with larger and more diverse samples are needed to validate the findings and gain deeper insights into family planning among people with mental illness.</p>

DOI 10.1055/a-2731-0454