TherapyTips

Postponing Parenthood Scale

Mark Travers, Ph.D.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D.

September 26, 2025

Mark Travers, Ph.D., is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, responsible for new client intake and placement. Mark received his B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. His academic research has been published in leading psychology journals and has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other popular publications. He is a regular contributor for Forbes and Psychology Today, where he writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and life meaning. Click here to schedule an initial consultation with Mark or another member of the Awake Therapy team. Or, you can drop him a note here.

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Curious about what’s really driving your decision to wait before having children? Take this test to find out.

In recent decades, the decision to delay parenthood — or, to opt out of it altogether — has become increasingly common across the globe. Rising education levels, career opportunities and social shifts have made later-life family planning a reality for many individuals and couples. At the same time, shifts in cultural attitudes have made it even more acceptable to openly embrace a “childfree” lifestyle, whether it be temporarily or permanently. Parenthood is no longer seen as an inevitable milestone for everyone, but rather as one of many pathways to a fulfilling life.

Understanding why people postpone parenthood is crucial, as the motives behind these decisions are complex and multifaceted. For some, the reasons are practical: financial stability, career advancement or securing housing. For others, personal priorities, like travel, self-development or uncertainty about long-term relationships play a central role. Distinguishing between these different motives is important to researchers, policymakers and healthcare professionals, as well as to individuals who wish to uncover their ambivalence toward parenthood.

The Multidimensional Scale of Motives for Postponing Parenthood provides a structured way to capture this complexity. By breaking down motives into six core categories, it helps reveal the many different reasons behind delayed parenthood — rather than treating it as a single, uniform phenomenon. In this way, it is an effective tool for exploring one of the most significant lifestyle choices of modern adulthood.

References: Szcześniak, M., Falewicz, A. & Brodowska, D. (2025). Multidimensional Scale of Motives for Postponing Parenthood (MSMPP-18): Development, factorial structure and psychometric properties. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01184-y

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. Parenting requires many sacrifices.

2. I am afraid that my child could experience war.

3. I am afraid of deterioration of sexual satisfaction in the relationship.

4. My financial situation at this stage of my life does not allow me to raise a child.

5. I am convinced that I will not cope with the role of a parent.

6. I do not want my child to live in unstable times.

7. I am afraid I will not be able to cope with parental responsibilities.

8. Parenting is taxing.

9. I do not have the required qualities to be a good enough parent.

10. I do not want my child to experience a climate catastrophe.

11. Now I focus on self-development.

12. Currently, achieving my aspirations is my priority.

13. The cost of raising a child is beyond my financial means.

14. I intend to focus on personal development.

15. Parenting takes time and commitment.

16. A woman’s body changes unfavorably after pregnancy.

17. I am afraid of negative changes in the relationship when the baby comes.

18. I do not have sufficient financial resources.

0 of 0 questions answered

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores with people similar to you.

1. What is your age?

2. What is your gender?

3. What region of the world do you live in?

4. What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.

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