Research Paper Writing
The Tipping Scale:
Attitudes Towards Having Children Among College Students in Taiwan.
Abstract
This paper investigates the reasons why young people in Taiwan tend not to have children nowadays. A questionnaire was conducted with 52 participants, incorporating both closed-ended and open-ended questions to gather students' opinions. The survey reveals that 30% of the respondents do not want to have children in the future, while 44% are still considering whether to have children or not. The findings suggest that as more young people choose not to have children, the issue of a low birth rate may worsen. The research gap between Asia and Western countries emphasizes the need for Asian countries to strengthen long-term data collection on young people's attitudes toward childbirth, as current research often relies on small, localized surveys and lacks longitudinal tracking. Establishing comprehensive databases could better address the issue of declining birth rates.
Introduction
The new generation holds a very different view regarding having children. In 2023, Taiwan's fertility rate dropped to 0.87, setting a new record for the lowest rate in the country's history (National Development Council, 2024). Taiwan is expected to enter a super-aged society by 2025, with the elderly population (aged 65 and above) accounting for more than 20% of the total population (National Development Council, 2024). The decline in fertility rate not only leads to the issue of low birth rates but also results in a decrease in the working-age population. Consequently, the pressure on families to support both children and the elderly will inevitably increase, adding more burden on the younger generation. The low fertility rate and aging society are closely linked. If we do not address the low willingness of young people to have children, both issues will only become more severe. Many young people today choose not to have children due to various social and personal concerns. This paper analyzes the reasons why young people in Taiwan are reluctant to have children, focusing on economic, cultural, and environmental factors.
Methods
This essay targets college students and graduate students. I used a survey titled "Attitudes Towards Having Children Among College Students in Taiwan" to collect online data. In the end, I collected 59 responses. In the end, I collected 59 responses. After excluding seven individuals under 18 years old and those with graduate-level or higher education, the data from 52 participants were retained. Among these 52 respondents, 40 of them are sophomore students. Additionally, 75 percent of them are female participants(Figure 1). The questionnaire includes 13 closed-ended questions and 2 open-ended questions, which aim to gather their views toward having children.
Figure 1
Findings
In question number 4, I asked the participants if they want to get married in the future. Surprisingly, the answers of "yes" and "no" were nearly evenly split, each accounting for 50% (Figure 2). This aligns with findings in the Taiwanese context, where, despite following traditional Confucian values such as providing financial support for parents more closely than other East Asian societies, marriage has become discretionary for younger generations (Tsai, Peng, & Kuo, 2023).
Figure 2
When we take a look at question 5, “Do you plan to have children in the future?”, the results show a much larger difference. 75% of the respondents chose “no” or expressed uncertainty about having children (Figure 3). The significant difference in numbers clearly illustrates that a large percentage of young people today do not plan to have children in their future.
Figure 3
Economic factors
According to the survey, 93.2% of the respondents agree that economic considerations are one of the main reasons why young people do not want to have kids now (Figure 4). Economic considerations also rank the highest in this question. Another interesting finding we can see in the survey is that young people nowadays care a lot about their personal life and freedom, as this is the second-highest reason why young people do not want to have kids. 69.5% of the respondents agree with this point (Figure 4).
Figure 4
In question number 7, "How important do you think these factors are in your decision about having children?", the highest answer is financial stability (Figure 5). Both of these questions demonstrate that young people take a very serious attitude toward their economic standard of living when considering whether to have a child.
Figure 5
Housing prices may also be considered a major reason for not having kids. 84.7% of the respondents answered "yes" when asked if they think the current housing prices in Taiwan affect their decision to have children (Figure 6).
Figure 6
Open-Ended Questions Responses
According to the open-ended question, participants shared their thoughts on having children. Many emphasized economic considerations, with one participant noting, "I think one should have a certain level of financial stability before considering having children," while another remarked, "Many young people struggle to sustain themselves financially, let alone support another life." Personal time and independence were also significant factors, with a participant stating, "I feel raising children makes it hard to achieve personal dreams or pursue long-term goals, like working abroad or traveling extensively." Furthermore, gender roles and social expectations were discussed, with one participant commenting, "The traditional expectation of mothers staying home with their children is becoming less realistic." Furthermore, gender roles and social expectations were discussed, with one participant commenting, "The traditional expectation of mothers staying home with their children is becoming less realistic." This shift in gender roles aligns with research by(Chen and Yi ,2021), who noted that changes in the gender system have been uneven, particularly regarding gendered family practices and relationships.
At the end of the survey, I asked what could encourage young people in Taiwan to consider having children. Simply put, the most-mentioned answer was financial support. Participants suggested "reducing tuition fees" or "providing financial support to parents." Another important suggestion was to provide childcare facilities and support. Participants commented, "Ensure more accessible and affordable childcare services" and "Increase public childcare availability to reduce parents' financial and emotional burden."
Conclusion
In conclusion, young people today face many questions and concerns when making decisions about having children. The growing economic pressure, rapidly changing cultural values, and an unstable external environment create significant pressure on young people. While remaining child-free allows them to plan their lives more carefully and pursue their personal goals in a more sober and independent way, it is likely that fewer couples will consider raising children. What will happen if the traditional family model can no longer support the role of educating children? It is crucial for both policymakers and all citizens in Taiwan to be aware of this issue and adopt a more serious attitude toward it. The public needs to improve their awareness and imagination regarding this issue, and there is no better way to address it than through the intervention of the public sector. The government also needs to provide more constructive and beneficial strategies, such as affordable housing schemes, family-friendly workplace practices, and childcare allowances. If these fundamental living requirements can be met, I believe couples will have more options when deciding whether or not to raise children.
References
National Development Council. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from NDC database at https://pop-proj.ndc.gov.tw/Custom_Fast_Statistics_Search.aspx?d=H10&m=83&n=232&sms=10362
National Development Council. Retrieved December 30, 2024, from NDC database at
https://www.ndc.gov.tw/Content_List.aspx?n=2688C8F5935982DC
Chen, Y. H., & Yi, C. C. (2021). An exploration of individual, familial, and cultural factors associated with the value of children among Taiwanese young adults. Child Indicators Research, 14(2), 487-510.
Tsai, M. C., Peng, S. C., & Kuo, W. B. (2023). Singlehood and childlessness: an age-period-cohort analysis of changing attitudes toward family in Taiwan (2005-2020). Journal of Family Studies, 29(2), 853-874.
