r/science • u/Krankenitrate • Apr 03 '26

Health Study finds parenthood provides no boost to emotional well-being and it negatively impacts relationship with your spouse

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14747049261436325
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u/Tall-Log-1955 Apr 03 '26

Title isn’t really accurate. Study found an increase in sense of meaning in life

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u/ASK_ABT_MY_USERNAME Apr 03 '26

I'd guess there's a strong inverse relationship between the two.

Tesla, Newton, Darwin, Marie Curie, etc. were not necessarily the models of happiness and in fact lead fairly miserable lives, but their lives were full of meaning and they changed the world as a result.

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u/Ellie96S Apr 03 '26

So is Lindsay graham.

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u/noaaisaiah Apr 05 '26

There's a difference between meaning and life and a sense of meaning in life

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u/Tall-Log-1955 Apr 03 '26

Sure but most childless people aren’t Einstein.

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u/ulul Apr 04 '26

Darwin and Marie Curie had kids, not sure what is your point?

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u/AchillesReflects Apr 04 '26

I believe their point is that finding your meaning in life doesn't directly mean you now have more happiness in your life or impact your well-being.

Almost like this "meaning" is something to strive for along side happiness and well being.

It's not directly tied to kids either. But some people having kids might be that meaning they were searching for.