Att välja bort barn: En mixed-methods-studie om samhällsattityder och kvinnors erfarenheter av barnfrihet
(2025) PSYK12 20251Department of Psychology
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Denna studie undersökte attityder till barnfrihet i en svensk kontext, med särskilt fokus på hur barnfria kvinnor upplevde reaktioner från sin omgivning. En mixed-methods-design tillämpades. En kvantitativ enkätstudie (n = 131) mätte attityder med hjälp av en modifierad version av Attitudes Toward Voluntary Childlessness Scale. Resultaten visade att kvinnor uttryckte signifikant mer positiva attityder till barnfrihet än män, och att barnfria personer var mer accepterande än de som hade eller önskade barn. En tematisk analys av kvalitativa fritextsvar (n = 30) identifierade fyra huvudteman: barnfrihet som rättighet, behovet att motivera sitt beslut, moderskapsnormen och barnfrihet som ett ansvarsfullt val. Resultaten visade att reproduktiva... (More)
- Denna studie undersökte attityder till barnfrihet i en svensk kontext, med särskilt fokus på hur barnfria kvinnor upplevde reaktioner från sin omgivning. En mixed-methods-design tillämpades. En kvantitativ enkätstudie (n = 131) mätte attityder med hjälp av en modifierad version av Attitudes Toward Voluntary Childlessness Scale. Resultaten visade att kvinnor uttryckte signifikant mer positiva attityder till barnfrihet än män, och att barnfria personer var mer accepterande än de som hade eller önskade barn. En tematisk analys av kvalitativa fritextsvar (n = 30) identifierade fyra huvudteman: barnfrihet som rättighet, behovet att motivera sitt beslut, moderskapsnormen och barnfrihet som ett ansvarsfullt val. Resultaten visade att reproduktiva val påverkas av djupt rotade könsnormer och pronatalistiska förväntningar. I diskussionen tolkades resultaten i relation till psykologiska teorier såsom social identity theory, social role theory samt teorier om social påverkan och implicita fördomar. Dessa ramverk synliggjorde hur grupptillhörighet, internaliserade normer och subtil stereotypisering påverkar hur barnfria kvinnor uppfattas och bemöts. Studien bidrog till den psykologiska forskningen genom att belysa sambandet mellan individuella erfarenheter och samhälleliga strukturer, och understryker vikten av ökad acceptans för icke-normativa reproduktiva livsval. (Less)
- Abstract
- This study examined attitudes toward voluntary childlessness in Sweden, with a specific focus on how childfree women experience social reactions. A mixed methods approach was employed. A quantitative survey (n = 131) measured attitudes using a modified version of the Attitudes Toward Voluntary Childlessness Scale. Results showed that women held significantly more positive attitudes towards voluntary childlessness than men, and that childfree individuals were more accepting than those who had or desired children. A thematic analysis of qualitative responses (n = 30) identified four core themes: childlessness as a right, the need to justify one’s decision, the motherhood norm, and childlessness as a responsible choice. These findings suggest... (More)
- This study examined attitudes toward voluntary childlessness in Sweden, with a specific focus on how childfree women experience social reactions. A mixed methods approach was employed. A quantitative survey (n = 131) measured attitudes using a modified version of the Attitudes Toward Voluntary Childlessness Scale. Results showed that women held significantly more positive attitudes towards voluntary childlessness than men, and that childfree individuals were more accepting than those who had or desired children. A thematic analysis of qualitative responses (n = 30) identified four core themes: childlessness as a right, the need to justify one’s decision, the motherhood norm, and childlessness as a responsible choice. These findings suggest that reproductive decisions are shaped by deeply embedded gender norms and pronatalist expectations. In the discussion, results were interpreted through psychological frameworks including social identity theory, social role theory, and theories of social influence and implicit bias. These perspectives highlighted how group identity, internalized norms, and subtle stereotyping contribute to how childfree women are perceived and treated. The study contributes to psychological research by bridging individual experiences and societal structures, and calls for greater recognition of non-normative reproductive choices. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9196455
- author
- Backman Perez, Anna LU
- supervisor
-
- Una Tellhed LU
- organization
- course
- PSYK12 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- Barnfrihet, könsnormer, pronatalism, attityder, mixed-methods Voluntary childlessness, gender norms, attitudes, mixed methods
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9196455
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-16 09:24:55
- date last changed
- 2025-06-16 09:24:55
@misc{9196455,
abstract = {{This study examined attitudes toward voluntary childlessness in Sweden, with a specific focus on how childfree women experience social reactions. A mixed methods approach was employed. A quantitative survey (n = 131) measured attitudes using a modified version of the Attitudes Toward Voluntary Childlessness Scale. Results showed that women held significantly more positive attitudes towards voluntary childlessness than men, and that childfree individuals were more accepting than those who had or desired children. A thematic analysis of qualitative responses (n = 30) identified four core themes: childlessness as a right, the need to justify one’s decision, the motherhood norm, and childlessness as a responsible choice. These findings suggest that reproductive decisions are shaped by deeply embedded gender norms and pronatalist expectations. In the discussion, results were interpreted through psychological frameworks including social identity theory, social role theory, and theories of social influence and implicit bias. These perspectives highlighted how group identity, internalized norms, and subtle stereotyping contribute to how childfree women are perceived and treated. The study contributes to psychological research by bridging individual experiences and societal structures, and calls for greater recognition of non-normative reproductive choices.}},
author = {{Backman Perez, Anna}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Att välja bort barn: En mixed-methods-studie om samhällsattityder och kvinnors erfarenheter av barnfrihet}},
year = {{2025}},
}