Objective (s): Despite declining fertility rates and changes in family patterns in Tehran, voluntary childlessness remains a relatively understudied phenomenon. Most previous studies have focused on factors influencing fertility intentions or declining childbearing, while the process through which the decision to remain childfree is formed, consolidated, and transformed into a stable lifestyle has received less attention. This study aimed to explain the process of institutionalization of voluntary childlessness among Tehranian women and men.
Methods: This study is a qualitative study using grounded theory. The participants were married citizens residing in Tehran who did not have infertility problems and had maintained a decision to remain voluntarily childless for more than ten years. In the initial stage, purposive sampling was conducted using the snowball sampling method to identify eligible participants. Subsequently, as initial concepts and categories emerged, theoretical sampling was continued to develop and elaborate the categories. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and analyzed based on the approach of Strauss and Corbin (2015).
Results: From the content analysis of the 15 in-depth interviews, a total of 443 initial codes were extracted. Subsequently, using the constant comparative method, similar and related codes were organized into 118 initial concepts. In the next stage, based on shared characteristics, conceptual relationships, and semantic similarities, the concepts were categorized into 88 subcategories, 33 categories, and 6 main categories. The resulting main categories were: fundamental redefinition of values and roles, inhibiting social and economic structures, moderating factors in the decision stabilization process, idealism, redefining relationships and responsibilities in a childless life, institutionalization of a childless lifestyle. Throughout the process, the core concept of “idealism” was identified as the central process, and all other main categories and subcategories were seen to be directly or indirectly related to this core category.
Conclusion: Voluntary childlessness among Tehranian women and men is a gradual process involving a reconsideration of parental responsibility, redefinition of the couple relationship, and construction of alternative meanings for life, ultimately becoming part of an individual's identity and lifestyle. These findings highlight the need to recognize the individual, relational, and social complexities of this choice and to avoid reductionist perspectives on voluntarily childless individuals.