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Journey to Remain Childless: a Grounded Theory of the Decision-Making Process Among Voluntarily Childless Couples

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Journey to Remain Childless: a Grounded Theory of the Decision-Making Process Among Voluntarily Childless Couples Journey to Remain Childless: A Grounded Theory of the Decision-Making Process among Voluntarily Childless Couples by Kyung Hee Lee, M.A. A Dissertation In HUMAN DEVELOPOMENT AND FAMILY STUDIES Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Approved Anisa Zvonkovic Chair of Committee Duane Crawford Amy Hueman Sylvia Niehuis Elizabeth Sharp Peggy Miller Dean of the Graduate School August, 2011 Copyright 2011, Kyung Hee Lee Texas Tech University, Kyung Hee Lee, August 2011 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This has been an amazing journey. I would not have been able to finish this dissertation without help from so many people. First, I would like to thank my participants. They invited me, a total stranger, into their houses and lives, and shared their stories. Throughout the whole process, I tried not to forget the trust they had in me to tell their story. I can only hope that I told their story as best as I could. I also thank Dr. Anisa Zvonkovic, my dissertation chair, for her passion, patience, and guidance. She was there every step of my journey for me. I appreciate the relationship we have developed through this journey together. Her encouragement and trust helped me to keep going. I would like to thank my committee members, Drs. Duane Crawford, Amy Heuman, Elizabeth Sharp, and Sylvia Niehuis. I appreciate their encouragement, support, and insightful suggestions. My dissertation is in much better shape thanks to their suggestions. I am grateful to have so many friends who were willing to help me throughout the process. I thank Courtney Smith for helping me with transcriptions. I thank Andrea and Jon Swenson, Stephen Hunsaker, and Tory Ervin for proof-reading drafts of my long proposal and dissertation. I also thank them for being good friends. I appreciate and value their friendship tremendously. I would also like to thank Drs. Karen and Richard Wampler. I would not be where I am now if it were not for them in many ways. There is no way I can express my love and appreciation toward my parents properly. Mom and Dad, this dissertation is for you (엄마, 아빠, 이 논문은 엄마와 아빠를 위한 거에요). I will never be able to pay back your love and support for me. I also want ii Texas Tech University, Kyung Hee Lee, August 2011 to express my love and appreciation to my family: my brother and sister, their spouses, and my niece and nephew. I love you all very much. iii Texas Tech University, Kyung Hee Lee, August 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................................... ii ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................. x LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................... xi I. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................ 1 Language Defined ........................................................................................................... 5 II. LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................... 7 Childlessness in Contexts ................................................................................................ 7 Historical trends of childlessness. ............................................................................................ 7 Pronatalism…………….. ...................................................................................................... 10 Characteristics of voluntarily childless individuals and couples ........................................... 12 Childlessness as a choice............................................................................................... 18 Existing theories and models of childlessness. ...................................................................... 18 Reasons for Choosing To Remain Childless .......................................................................... 23 Childlessness as a Process ............................................................................................. 28 Reaching an agreement between partners .............................................................................. 28 Dealing with social pressure and stigma ................................................................................ 33 Moments of doubt .................................................................................................................. 37 Moments of conviction .......................................................................................................... 39 Sterilization and abortion as a means of contraception .......................................................... 40 III. METHOD ..................................................................................................................... 53 Grounded Theory .......................................................................................................... 53 Participants .................................................................................................................... 54 Couple as the unit of analysis ................................................................................................ 54 Sampling and criteria ............................................................................................................. 58 Recruitment. ........................................................................................................................... 60 Participants. ............................................................................................................................ 61 Data Collection Procedure ............................................................................................ 64 Pilot study .............................................................................................................................. 64 Procedure ............................................................................................................................... 64 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 68 Constant comparative method ................................................................................................ 68 Coding. ................................................................................................................................... 68 iv Texas Tech University, Kyung Hee Lee, August 2011 Researcher‘s memos. ............................................................................................................. 71 Peer debriefing. ...................................................................................................................... 71 Verification of the study ................................................................................................ 72 V. RESULTS ....................................................................................................................... 76 From Agreement to Acceptance and Closing of the Door ............................................ 76 Reaching an Agreement ................................................................................................ 80 Mutual early articulator couples ............................................................................................ 81 Mutual postponer couple ........................................................................................................ 83 Non-mutual couples ............................................................................................................... 83 Staying in the Agreement Phase.................................................................................... 87 Triggers of revisitations ......................................................................................................... 89 The Process of revisitation to reaffirmation ........................................................................... 94 Reaffirming moments .......................................................................................................... 101 Musings ................................................................................................................................ 104 Dealing with inquiries, pressure, and stigma ....................................................................... 105 From Agreement to Acceptance .................................................................................. 112 Staying in the Acceptance Phase ................................................................................. 116 From Acceptance to Closing of the Door.................................................................... 122 To Acceptance through Closing of the Door .............................................................. 124 After the door is closed ............................................................................................... 125 VI. DISCUSSION .............................................................................................................. 130 Decision-Making Types .............................................................................................. 130 Childlessness
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