MARITAL ADJUSTMENT AMONG CHILDFREE (VOLUNTARY CHILDLESS) WOMEN IN PAKISTAN: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62533/gsm31s70Keywords:
Childlessness, Fertility, Voluntary Childlessness, Childfree women, Marital Adjustment, PakistanAbstract
In Pakistan, traditional family structures and societal expectations place a strong emphasis on fertility and child-rearing as core components of marital success. Existing studies have explored marital adjustment, infertility, and satisfaction in various contexts but there is a specific research gap concerning the marital adjustment of childfree/voluntary childless women in Pakistan. This study aims to address the gap by exploring the marital adjustment of childfree women in Pakistan using semi-structured interviews followed by Braun & Clark’s (2006) method of thematic analysis. A sample of seven (N=7) childfree working women, aged between 30 and 45 years, was recruited to provide insights into their lived experiences and marital dynamics, resulting in three themes: (a) motivations for voluntary childlessness, (b) its impact on marital adjustment, and (c) the perceived consequences of remaining childfree. We found that voluntary childlessness was mutual between participants and showed high levels of marital satisfaction, even with social pressure.
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Data Availability Statement
Data are not publicly available due to participant confidentiality.
