A study of factors determining family size in a selected professional group.

Abstract

The immediate purpose of this preliminary study conducted in 1938 was to obtain data on a select group officers of the United States Army Air Corps. The samples was 427 officers and 320 of their wives and a questionnaire was used to obtain the information. The study was concerned with determining how many children this group has; how many they desire; the basis psychological biological social economic and other factors which account for the size of their families and the number of children they plan to have and the discrepancy between the two; and practical measures which would lead to an increase in the number of children. It was found that this group does not have enough children to replace themselves. Approximately 95% of both officers and wives indicated 2 3 and 4 children as the number for an average American Family. The individuals concept of family size is essentially determined by what the person has heard or been taught. It was found that only a small proportion of this sample have the number of children which they indicate as ideal. The majority are planning on 2 or less children but consider 3 or more children as ideal. They explain the discrepancy by attributing it to the general conditions associated with life in the Air Corps. In studying the influences which cause the actual sizes of families to vary from those reported as the findings show that husbands concern for wifes health wifes fear of childbirth uncertainty regarding the future and the dangers of military flying along with physical social economic and factors related to marital status all have a definite effect on the planned size of their families and the discrepancy between the ideal number of children and the actual size of their families.

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