Jun 21, 2012 / 11:05 am
A study by a group of psychologists from the Universities of Riverside, Stanford and British Colombia shows that parents experience greater levels of happiness than adults who do not have children.
"This series of studies suggest that parents are not nearly the 'miserable creatures' we might expect from recent studies and popular representations," said co-author Elizabeth Dunn, an associate professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia.
According to the research, the parents who participated in the study are happier and have a greater desire to live than their child-less peers. It also showed that parents experience more positive feelings when taking care of children than during their other daily activities, challenging the notion that children are associated with reduced well-being.
The researchers said the study also contradicts those who think children are a source of problems. The analysis found that children do not endanger the personal development of parents or limit their social relationships.
"If you went to a large dinner party, the parents in the room would be just as happy or happier than the guests without children," Dunn noted.
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