{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,2]],"date-time":"2026-10-02T17:05:23Z","timestamp":1790960723409,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"JMIR Publications Inc.","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JMIR Public Health Surveill"],"abstract":"Abstract<\/jats:title>\n \n Background<\/jats:title>\n China is currently facing a low fertility rate, making it crucial to explore the influence of psychosocial factors on fertility intentions to address demographic structural challenges. Social support, as a potentially significant influencing factor, is not yet fully understood in terms of its specific pathways and gender differences.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n This study aimed to explore how social support impacts fertility intentions among Chinese adults aged 20\u201049 years, with an emphasis on gender-specific differences and the mediating roles of self-efficacy and conscientiousness.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n Data were obtained from the Psychology and Behavior Investigation of Chinese Residents (PBICR). This study included 2653 childless adults of reproductive age. A decision tree model was used to identify key factors influencing fertility intentions. A mediation analysis was conducted to explore the mediating effects of self-efficacy and conscientiousness while controlling for demographic confounders.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n Among all 2653 participants, 71.3% (1892\/2653) had fertility intentions. The proportion was significantly higher in men (weighted 79%, 95% CI 76.5%-81.3%) than in women (weighted 64.5%, 95% CI 61.8-67.1;\n P<\/jats:italic>\n <.001). Participants with fertility intentions had a higher total social support score (mean 61.25, SD 14.02 vs mean 58.23, SD 13.01;\n P<\/jats:italic>\n =.001). For women, family support significantly influenced fertility intentions, whereas support from friends was more relevant for men. Mediation analysis revealed that for men, self-efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between social support and fertility intention, with an indirect effect of 0.06 (95% CI 0.04-0.09;\n P<\/jats:italic>\n =.001) and a mediation proportion of 52.54%. For women, conscientiousness played a significant mediating role, with an indirect effect of 0.011 (95% CI 0.002-0.018;\n P<\/jats:italic>\n =.001) and a mediation proportion of 10.25%.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n Enhancing targeted social support can increase fertility intentions, with implications for addressing demographic challenges. Tailored policies should prioritize providing family support and fostering conscientiousness for women, while boosting self-efficacy and friend-based social support for men.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.2196\/77484","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,11]],"date-time":"2026-02-11T20:13:42Z","timestamp":1770840822000},"page":"e77484-e77484","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["The Gendered Mediation Effects of Social Support on Fertility Intentions Among Childless Adults of Reproductive Age in China: National Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.2196","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-8497-2308","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Xinyu","family":"Xu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-8473-9867","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Peiyu","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-0123-4399","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Peihua","family":"Ren","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-9832-8722","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Wenyan","family":"Shi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2346-4433","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sha","family":"Lai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1010","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"R1","unstructured":"Statistical communiqu\u00e9 of the People\u2019s Republic of China on the 2023 national economic and social development [Website in Chinese]. 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