Document Type
Journal Article
Faculty
Faculty of Computing, Health and Science
School
School of Psychology and Social Science / Lifespan Resilience Research Group
RAS ID
14229
Abstract
Choosing not to have children is considered a deviation from cultural norms, particularly the dominant pronatalist discourse; this is especially so for women. However, little research has documented the experience of Australian women who have consciously chosen to remain childless. Ten voluntarily childfree women participated in unstructured interviews about their choice and its ramifications. The data analysis revealed three broad themes – the experiences and processes of making the choice; the ongoing effects of their choice, ranging from support and acceptance to pressure and discrimination; and no regret as the women described engaging in meaningful, generative activities that contributed to society.
DOI
10.1177/1359105312444647
Access Rights
free_to_read
Comments
This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of: Doyle, J. E., Pooley, J. , & Breen, L. (2012). A Phenomenological Exploration of the Childfree Choice in a Sample of Australian Women , 18(3), 1-11. Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications. Available here