Multidimensional Scale Of Motives For Postponing Parenthood

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

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | December 9, 2025

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.

You can take this test here. Follow all of the steps to receive your results.

Step 1: Parenting is one of the important developmental tasks of people entering adulthood. The thought of being a parent is associated with various experiences that may give a sense of joy and fulfillment or be an expression of fear, dissatisfaction or reluctance. Below you will find statements that concern different opinions about readiness for parenthood. Please read each statement and rate on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) to what extent it reflects your personal approach to being a mother or father. “I am postponing the decision to have a child because…

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.

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

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

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.

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