In modern Russian society, there is a steady upward trend in attitudes towards childlessness. Young people are especially susceptible to this. The authors analyze perceptions of voluntary and involuntary childlessness based on a series of focus group interviews conducted among students in the Ivanovo region. The study showed that family and children are still important values for young people. At the same time, the attitude towards voluntary child-lessness does not cause a negative reaction on the part of students. In this case, it is perceived as a consequence of a reasonable decision to postpone the birth of a child until the necessary material (sufficient for high-quality upbringing of a child) living conditions are achieved. Besides, the desire to devote all life to one’s personal goals and self-realization is another factor influencing not negative perception of childlessness by young people. It can be concluded that the attitude towards childlessness among young people will be overcome as they grow older and modify their life values. The results of the study can be used to form a positive perception of parenthood and develop measures to stimulate the birth rate.
Acknowledgments: this work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation under the grant № 23-28-01414 “Age and power. Age stereotyping in contemporary Russian politics”.