ISSN 1671-3710
CN 11-4766/R
主办:中国科学院心理研究所
出版:科学出版社

心理科学进展 ›› 2025, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (11): 1926-1941.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1042.2025.1926 cstr: 32111.14.2025.1926

• 元分析 • 上一篇    下一篇

基于计划行为理论预测生育意愿:一项三水平元分析

梁英, 赵何钧, 赵宝旭, 岳云帆, 何宁()   

  1. 陕西师范大学心理学院, 西安 710062
  • 收稿日期:2025-01-26 出版日期:2025-11-15 发布日期:2025-09-19
  • 通讯作者: 何宁, E-mail: hening@snnu.edu.cn
  • 基金资助:
    陕西师范大学“一带一路”专项科研项目(22YDYLZ008);高等学校学科创新引智基地(B25068)

Predicting fertility intentions with the Theory of Planned Behaviour: A three-level meta-analysis

LIANG Ying, ZHAO Hejun, ZHAO Baoxu, YUE Yunfan, HE Ning()   

  1. School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062, China
  • Received:2025-01-26 Online:2025-11-15 Published:2025-09-19

摘要:

生育意愿是预测生育行为的关键因素, 诸多研究探讨了计划行为理论(Theory of Planned Behavior, TPB)在预测生育意愿中的作用, 但其结论尚不一致。为检验TPB理论在解释生育意愿中的适用性, 本研究采用了随机效应模型对纳入的33项研究(包括128个效应值、共47923个被试)进行三水平元分析。结果表明:TPB变量均与生育意愿显著相关, 其中态度与生育意愿的关系最强(r+ = 0.41), 其次是主观规范(r+ = 0.30)和感知行为控制(r+ = 0.23)。TPB与生育意愿的相关强度受研究对象的性别、生育经历和社会经济背景的调节, 但不受个体−集体主义文化背景、时间框架的调节。本研究澄清了TPB变量与生育意愿之间的关系, 为开发生育意愿提升方案与建设生育友好型社会提供了一定的学理支撑。

关键词: 元分析, 生育意愿, 计划行为理论, 态度, 主观规范, 感知行为控制

Abstract:

Background:

Persistently low fertility intentions among the population of young people of childbearing age represent a critical social challenge demanding urgent solutions in most nations. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which emphasizes the role of socio-psychological factors and behavioral intentions in fertility decision-making and conceptualizes fertility intentions as a multidimensional construct, provides a key explanatory framework for understanding fertility behavior. While numerous studies have investigated the utility of TPB in predicting fertility intentions, its applicability in this specific domain remains debated. Findings regarding the relationships between TPB variables (attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) and fertility intentions are inconsistent and even contradictory. A systematic evaluation of the relationship between TPB and fertility intentions is currently lacking, making a meta-analysis to quantify the strength of this relationship and explore potential moderating factors particularly necessary.

Objective:

This study aimed to: (1) systematically review the application of TPB in fertility intention research; (2) employ a three-level meta-analysis to examine the strength of the associations between attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and fertility intentions; and (3) investigate the moderating effects of gender, childbearing history(parenthood status), cultural background (individualism-collectivism), economic level (GDP per capita), and temporal framing.

Methods:

We conducted a scoping literature review following the following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 statement, we conducted literature search, screening, coding, quality assessment, and publication bias testing. Effect size estimation employed a three-level random-effects model implemented using the metafor package in R4.3.2, with model parameters estimated via Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) estimation. The sample-size-weighted average correlation coefficient (r⁺) was calculated. All correlation coefficients were converted to Fisher’s Z scores for main effect and moderation effect analyses.

Results:

A total of 33 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising N = 43,427 participants and 128 independent effect sizes. Main effect analysis revealed significant positive correlations between all core TPB variables and fertility intentions. The strongest correlation was observed for attitude (r⁺ = 0.41), followed by subjective norm (r⁺ = 0.30) and perceived behavioral control (r⁺ = 0.23). Moderation analysis revealed that the strength of the associations between TPB variables and fertility intentions was significantly moderated by participant gender, childbearing history (parenthood status), and socioeconomic background (GDP per capita), but not by individualism-collectivism cultural background or temporal framing.

Conclusions:

(1) TPB variables (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control) significantly predict individual fertility intentions: stronger positive expectations of fertility benefits, greater perceived social pressure, and more perceived resources for having children are associated with higher fertility intentions.

(2) Among TPB variables, attitude is the strongest predictor of fertility intentions, followed by subjective norms and perceived behavioral control.

(3) Gender moderates the attitude-intention relationship: The positive predictive effect of fertility attitude on intention is significantly stronger for women compared to men.

(4) Parenthood status moderates the effects of attitude and perceived behavioral control: Compared to parents, attitudes and perceived behavioral control demonstrate stronger predictive power for fertility intentions among individuals without children.

(5) GDP per capita significantly moderates the overall predictive efficacy of TPB variables on fertility intentions.

(6) Individualism-collectivism cultural background and time frame did not exhibit significant moderating effects on the predictive utility of TPB variables.

This study is the first to systematically synthesize the relationship between TPB and fertility intentions using meta-analysis. It clarifies the strength of associations between core TPB variables and fertility intentions and validates the robustness of the TPB model in fertility research. The investigation of moderating variables provides an important theoretical foundation for designing interventions to enhance fertility intentions and fostering a fertility-supportive society.

Key words: meta-analysis, fertility intentions, theory of planned behaviour, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control

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