Attitudes About Parenting and Family Planning Among Psychology Trainees and Mentors

Training and professional activities in psychology create challenges for those who are navigating family planning and care. Training requires significant emotional labor, long hours over variable schedules, and high levels of occupational stress. These challenges may strain family life, including decisions about becoming a parent, and they may negatively influence other career milestones as well. Recently, increased awareness into the struggles professional families face has sparked a call for understanding how to best assist graduate-level psychology trainees and early career psychologists. This study uses a national survey of psychologists at varying levels of their careers to (a) examine views towards parenthood in the context of psychology training and (b) identify areas of need for both trainees and supervisorswho wish to support trainees in balancing parenthood with training. Nearly 400 doctoral graduate trainees, supervisors, and mentors responded. Results show that trainees felt insufficient support at various stages of their career and parenting journey, and mentors overestimate the effectiveness and sufficiency of support to trainees. This attests to our field's responsibility towards better supporting trainee families.