Thesis (M. A.(Social Work)) --University of Limpopo, 2018 / Involuntary childlessness and infertility affects women from various cultural and religious backgrounds. Childless women suffer from social and psychological ailments because of their circumstances. Previous research reveals that women who suffer from infertility and childlessness experience social exclusion and ridicule from their women folk who have children. In South Africa reproduction is a human right and everyone is allowed to make decisions on whether or not they should have children. Surrogacy as an assisted reproductive technique is allowed and governed through the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. However, the knowledge of childless women on surrogacy, their belief system and willingness to take up surrogacy as a way to have children is unknown to the researcher. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of childless women on surrogacy as an assisted reproductive technique. The study was exploratory and qualitative in nature. The participants were identified through purposive and snowball sampling. Data was collected until saturation point and seven participants were interviewed. Unstructured, face to face interviews were conducted. An audio recorder was utilised during the interviews. Thematic analysis was employed in data analysis and trustworthiness was used to establish the credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability of the study. Most women in this study mentioned that they had heard and were aware of surrogacy but they were not well-informed about the relevant legislation. Women in this study were willing to take up surrogacy as an option to have their own children.

Syftet med denna litteraturstudie var att undersöka upplevelser av vårdsituationer hos par diagnostiserade med ofrivillig barnlöshet, och hur sjukvårdspersonal upplevde att bedriva denna vård. Studien sammanställdes under 10 veckor under vårterminen 2012 och har en kvalitativ-deskriptiv design. Upprepade sökningar i databaserna CINAHL och Pubmed kombinerades med sökning av annan litteratur såsom böcker. Artiklarna som påträffades i databaserna granskades utifrån kriterier som publikationsdatum och språk. Huvudresultatet i studien visade att sjukvårdspersonal innehar en unik position för att skapa en tillfredsställande kontakt mellan dem själva och patienterna, och att stödja patienterna under behandlingen. Patienterna berättade om vikten av att sjukvårdpersonal visar respekt, empati och kompetens och medkänsla ansågs vara den viktigaste aspekten vid vårdsituationer. Sjuksköterskor på infertilitetskliniker talade om att de anser sig ha ett stort ansvar vilket kräver stor kunskap och erfarenhet. Slutsatsen visade att det är vanligt med negativa konsekvenser (både fysiska och psykiska) för patienterna, och att det saknas riktlinjer för hur vården av dessa patienter skall bedrivas samt att det finns en brist på forskning inom detta område. / This literature review aimed to investigate the experiences of couples’ treatment for their diagnosed involuntary childlessness, and how health care providers experienced the act of providing the treatment. The review was completed at University of Gävle during 10 weeks under the first semester of 2012. The study had a qualitative-descriptive design. The literature that was used to compile the results was collected through repeated searches in the databases CINAHL and PubMed in combination with searches for other literature (such as books) in the library catalogue at University of Gävle. The writers of the study reviewed the articles from criteria such as date of publication, and the articles should have been written in English or Swedish. The main results of this study showed that nurses had a unique position to create a satisfying contact between themselves and patients, and also provide infertility patients with support. The result further showed that the health-care professionals is in a exemplary position to uphold a good first groundcontact, and thereby give infertility patients support and advise during this procedure. The nurses also stressed the importance that they had a great responsibility which called for a great knowledge and experience. The patients spoke about the importance of health care providers showing respect, empathy and competence. The most important aspect in caretaking was that the nurses show compassion, which according to the patients first of all came when the nurses showed that they understood what every couple individually, went through during treatment. The conclusion then showed that it was common with negative consequences (both fysical and psychological) for the patients and health care providers found lack of birectyons and that there was not enough research within this area.

O processo de envelhecimento vem ganhando destaque em pesquisas de diferentes áreas do conhecimento. A cronologização da vida é uma realidade em todas as sociedades, mas não necessariamente representa a ideia subjetiva que o indivíduo tem sobre o próprio envelhecimento. O aumento da expectativa de vida tem resultado em fenômenos como maior número de mulheres que vivem a fase da velhice e que têm dado um novo significado a essa experiência. As mulheres da pesquisa, que hoje são idosas, vivenciaram uma época em que o matrimônio e maternidade eram tidos como sinônimo de felicidade. Contudo, pouco se fala a respeito de mulheres que não seguiram tais padrões. Assim, foram realizadas entrevistas com quatro mulheres idosas solteiras e sem filhos, de idades entre 72 e 91 anos, a fim de verificar suas percepções de envelhecimento. A partir do relato das histórias de vida, verificou-se que, em relação a elas, o imaginário de uma velhice solitária e sem apoio não é válido. A família e a comunidade exercem uma rede de suporte informal que fornece atenção e suporte. O casamento não foi desejado e muitas vezes foi tratado como algo negativo. O trabalho revelou ser um marcador importante e garantia de subsídios na vida adulta e, após a aposentadoria, na velhice. Do ponto de vista simbólico, a Psicologia Analítica contribuiu para o entendimento subjetivo da experiência de envelhecimento. Imagens arquetípicas das deusas gregas auxiliaram na compreensão das diferentes formas de ser mulher em todas as etapas da vida / The aging process has been gaining prominence in research from several different fields of knowledge. The chronologization of life is a reality in all societies, but it does not necessarily represent the subjective idea that the individual has regarding his own aging. The increase in life expectancy has resulted in phenomena such as a higher number of elderly women, who have given new meaning to this experience. They lived through a time when marriage and maternity were synonymous to happiness. However, little is said about those women who did not follow these patterns. Therefore, interviews were conducted with four women, aged 72 to 91, in order to verify which is the perception of aging for these never-married, childless elders. From their life story accounts, one can perceive the notion of a solitary and forsaken old age does not apply to them. Marriage was not desired and was many times seen as something negative. Instead, work was an important livelihood marker both in adult life and in old age, after retirement. From a symbolic standpoint, analytical psychology contributed to the subjective understanding of the aging experience. Archetypical images of Greek goddesses helped comprehend the different ways of being a woman in all stages of life

This qualitative study explores the relationship between a childless married couple and their dog by looking at this phenomenon through a social constructionistic viewpoint. Human animal interaction has been studied in various different research scenarios, where this interaction was seen as enhancing health or well being in both the human and animal. This study focused on a more “human” role that an animal could play in the lives of people by becoming a family member and how this role affects the family as a whole. The research was conducted to determine whether a childless married couple could experience a fulfilling caring relationship with a dog within this formed family unit. Four elements that are commonly found in a caring relationship were identified and looked at as to whether they can also be found in the relationship that develops between a childless married couple and their dog. The four elements, love, attachment, need fulfilment and ritualisation also formed the broad predetermined themes investigated in this study. The participants were requested to complete an open-ended questionnaire in which the questions explored the relationship between the married couple and their dog. The data received from these questionnaires was then analysed through content analysis by using the predetermined themes as a framework but also allowing further themes and sub themes to develop from the research data. The participants indicated that they experienced the fulfilment of various needs in the relationship they have with their dog. This need fulfilment included the need for a family, the need for companionship, the need to be needed and the need for gratitude. Ritualisation occurred in the form of disciplinary methods and various set activities like fixed eating, sleeping and grooming times. The participants viewed their relationship with their dog as one that is formed out of mutual love and attachment. The feeling of love was expressed through companionship, trust and physical contact as well as the use of nicknames for their dog and by showing pride in their dog. A strong attachment also existed between the participants and their dogs. This attachment could be seen in the participants’ holiday arrangements that were usually made to accommodate the dog as well as the fact that they missed their dogs and believed their dogs to have also missed them when they were separated. They could become so attached to each other that they might experience separation anxiety and grief at the loss or the thought of losing their dogs. The four elements of caring were thus found in the relationship between a childless married couple and their dog. The existence of these elements suggests that a caring relationship can be formed between a childless married couple and their dog. This caring relationship can have positive emotional and physical influences on both the people and their dogs. / Dissertation (M (Research Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Psychology / unrestricted

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Studier har visat att frivilligt barnlösa individer stereotypt har betraktats vara olyckliga och otillfredsställda, något som inte har fått vetenskapligt stöd. Syftet med den här tvärsnittsstudien var att undersöka om det föreligger några skillnader i livskvalitet och livstillfredsställelse mellan frivilligt barnlösa personer och föräldrar i den svenska populationen. Forskningsfrågan undersöktes med en enkät som bestod av självskattningsskalorna QOLI (Quality Of Life Inventory) och SWLS (Satisfaction With Life Scale). 130 deltagare genomförde studien varav 54 är frivilligt barnlösa individer och 76 är föräldrar. Studien visade att det inte finns några signifikanta skillnader mellan grupperna med avseende på livskvalitet och livstillfredsställelse. Dock visade variansanalyserna att ålder och civilstånd signifikant påverkade livskvaliteten och livstillfredsställelsen. / Earlier studies have demonstrated that voluntarily childless individuals are negatively stereotyped as unhappy and unsatisfied, despite contradictory findings. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore whether there are any differences in life quality and life satisfaction between voluntarily childless adults and parents on a Swedish population. The research question was addressed with a survey utilizing two scales; QOLI (Quality Of Life Inventory) and SWLS (Satisfaction With life Scale). 130 subjects participated; 54 voluntarily childless adults and 76 parents. The study concludes that there are no significant differences between the groups on either dimension. However, the variance analysis showed that age and marital status significantly influenced life quality and life satisfaction.

Studier har visat att frivilligt barnlösa individer stereotypt har betraktats vara olyckliga och otillfredsställda, något som inte har fått vetenskapligt stöd. Syftet med den här tvärsnittsstudien var att undersöka om det föreligger några skillnader i livskvalitet och livstillfredsställelse mellan frivilligt barnlösa personer och föräldrar i den svenska populationen. Forskningsfrågan undersöktes med en enkät som bestod av självskattningsskalorna QOLI (Quality Of Life Inventory) och SWLS (Satisfaction With Life Scale). 130 deltagare genomförde studien varav 54 är frivilligt barnlösa individer och 76 är föräldrar. Studien visade att det inte finns några signifikanta skillnader mellan grupperna med avseende på livskvalitet och livstillfredsställelse. Dock visade variansanalyserna att ålder och civilstånd signifikant påverkade livskvaliteten och livstillfredsställelsen. / Earlier studies have demonstrated that voluntarily childless individuals are negatively stereotyped as unhappy and unsatisfied, despite contradictory findings. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore whether there are any differences in life quality and life satisfaction between voluntarily childless adults and parents on a Swedish population. The research question was addressed with a survey utilizing two scales; QOLI (Quality Of Life Inventory) and SWLS (Satisfaction With life Scale). 130 subjects participated; 54 voluntarily childless adults and 76 parents. The study concludes that there are no significant differences between the groups on either dimension. However, the variance analysis showed that age and marital status significantly influenced life quality and life satisfaction.

This thesis maps Czech social and expert discussions on the theme of child-free people childnessness. It is directed on those aspect with implicit ethical content. Subsequently it chooses the most often argument, what are discussed in the ethical reflection. To be child-free is more and more becoming phenomenon, in the Czech Republic especially in the last thirty years. In spite of that it is considered to be rather as alternative life style, what is often exposed to moral evaluation, with mostly negative tone. The criticism of the child-free people can be sumarized into two main streams, when the first one directs on the social impact of the declining birth rates, the second one focuses on personal features of the child-free people, to whom it reprehends either defective hierarchy of values or unnaturalness of their behavior. These two groups of arguments are confronted with the philosophical concept of inclinationes naturales (natural tendencies) of Thomas Aquinas.

Childlessness in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria Abstract The main goal of this thesis is to examine and compare the state of childlessness in the Czech Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany and Austria. In Germany particularly, childlessness has become a phenomenon and a society-wide issue. Austria, where childlessness is at a high level in comparison with other European countries is in a similar situation. Data analysis in this thesis showed that childlessness is more widespread in the former West Germany and Austria than in the Czech Republic and former East Germany. This difference is caused, among other things, by the pro-natal policies adopted in the former communist countries which led to a temporary increase in total fertility rate. Further, the thesis deals with the perception of parenthood and childlessness in society on the basis of the European Values Study 2008 international survey and with the relationship between the ideal and preferred number of children on the basis of the Eurobarometer 2006 international survey. The results of the surveys show that childlessness cannot be considered as a new kind of lifestyle, and that the preferred family form still involves two children. Considerable part of the study focuses on the causes and consequences of childlessness and its possible...

My work deals with contemporary Czech family and its development. Young people enter to a lesser extent to marry, less and less children are born, the population is aging, alarming is the high number of divorces. Does the impact the amount of education on divorce? Evident is also a large increase in children born to single mothers. Even though it is still the most children born of marriage, unmarried parents are increasing. Many couples can not conceive a child naturally and uses the opportunity to assisted reproduction. Increasing the proportion of women who for some reason a child can not or do not want. i also deal with the division of roles in the family and in the work area. What has changed in contemporary family compared to traditional family? The aim is to map the current situation of Czech families and their future from the perspective of domestic and foreign authors. i can see the importance of the ethical and social aspects that may to impact the influence of development of families in the future.Conclusion contains my assessment on this issue.