Projects per year
Abstract
This article investigates the reasons for and experiences of voluntary childlessness throughout the life course. Thirteen voluntarily childless people aged 60 years and older (Belgium) were interviewed using the McAdams approach (2005). Four profiles were derived from the reasons given for voluntary childlessness: the “liberated careerist,” the “social critic,” the “acquiescent partner,” and “voluntarily childless because of life course circumstances.” Results further indicate that older people experience feelings of acceptance, loss (missing familiarity with current trends, being helped, and children’s company), and relief concerning their voluntary childlessness. Moreover, they rarely seem to regret their choice. The discussion indicates the existence of voluntary childlessness among older people, a phenomenon sometimes questioned in the existing scientific literature. As part of a diverse target group, each of these older adults has their personal reasons and experiences regarding childlessness.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1536-1558 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | Journal of Family Issues |
Volume | 42 |
Issue number | 7 |
Early online date | 13 Aug 2020 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© The Author(s) 2020.
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
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Dive into the research topics of 'Life Stories of Voluntarily Childless Older People: A Retrospective View on Their Reasons and Experiences'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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FWOTM865: Prevention of frailty in later life: exploring the role of life-events as turning points.
De Donder, L., Dierckx, E. & Switsers, L.
1/10/17 → 30/09/21
Project: Fundamental
Datasets
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Qualitative lifestory interviews with voluntarily childless older adults
De Donder, L. (Creator), Stegen, H. (Creator) & Dierckx, E. (Creator), VUB Institutional Data Repository, 28 Feb 2025
Dataset