Associations between perfectionism cognitions, religiosity and desired number of children in Iranian women.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the associations between perfectionism cognitions, religiosity and the desired number of children in young women.

BACKGROUND: The desired number of children has been found to correlate with personality and individual difference.

METHODS: A sample of 281 women was selected from university settings in Tehran, Iran. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 39 years (M = 23.7, SD = 3.7). All participants responded to a paper-and-pencil survey consisting of measures of perfectionism cognitions, intrinsic religiosity and the desired number of children.

RESULTS: Bivariate correlations indicated that, as hypothesised, perfectionism cognitions were negatively associated with the number of children desired (p < .05). Additionally, intrinsic religiosity was positively associated with the desired number of children (p < .01). Finally, regression analysis suggested that, as hypothesised, perfectionism cognitions and intrinsic religiosity could significantly predict the desired number of children (R2  = .19).

CONCLUSION: Findings of the present study were explained in the light of an evolutionary approach on reproductive psychology. Those with high perfectionistic cognitions desire a smaller number of children and more religious women desire a larger number of children.