Voluntary childlessness, defined as the conscious choice not to have children, has become increasingly visible in many societies. Yet, this choice often faces prejudice and stigma, as it is seen to deviate from cultural expectations about family structure and gender roles. This study explores how hostile and benevolent sexism, religiosity, parental identity, and feminist identity predict attitudes toward voluntary childlessness.
Data were collected from 310 participants (Mage = 21.6) using self-report questionnaires. Measures included attitudes toward voluntary childlessness, ambivalent sexism, religiosity, parental identity, and feminist identity. Multiple regression analysis showed that the overall model was significant, F(5, 304) = 134.6, p < .001, explaining 69% of the variance in attitudes (ΔR² = .32). Results also revealed that benevolent sexism (β = .30, p < .001), hostile sexism (β = .30, p < .001), parental identity (β = .10, p < .001), and religiosity (β = .05, p < .01) predicted more negative attitudes. Feminist identity was not a significant predictor of attitudes toward voluntary childlessness (p = .30). In addition, t-test results revealed that men (M = 2.02, SD = 1.00) held significantly more negative attitudes than women (M = 1.41, SD = 0.55), t(308) = -6.84, p < .001.
These findings suggest that attitudes toward voluntary childlessness are shaped not only by personal choices but also by social factors such as religiosity and sexist ideologies. The non-significant role of feminist identity points to an area for further study. Gender differences highlight the influence of masculinity norms and cultural pressures on perceptions of childfree choices. Addressing these attitudes is especially important in contexts where social expectations around family and reproduction remain strong. The results have implications for psychoeducation and interventions aimed at reducing stigma toward individuals and couples who consciously choose not to have children.