Social Fathering and Childlessness – the Role of Economic Uncertainty

Axel Peter Kristensen , University of Oslo
Trude Lappegård, Statistics Norway

This study explores the intricate relationship between social fatherhood, economic uncertainty, and childlessness among men in Norway. Amidst a rising trend of childlessness—25% of Norwegian men had no biological children by age 45 in 2021—the research delves into the role of men's partnership histories, particularly social fathering, in influencing childlessness. A social father is defined as a man cohabiting or married to a child's biological mother but not biologically related to the child. The study posits that men with experience as social fathers are more likely to remain childless, and this relationship is moderated by economic uncertainty. Utilizing administrative register data from 2006-2022, the study focuses on men born in 1980 who have been in a partnership. Economic uncertainty is measured through employment instability, with previous research suggesting that unstable employment and low-income jobs are associated with childlessness. The study aims to answer whether men with stable employment histories are less influenced by the effects of social fathering on childlessness compared to those with unstable employment. This study contributes to the research field in several ways. It delves into the growing issue of male childlessness, illustrating its ties to social fathering roles and economic stability. It suggests that the rise in childlessness isn't merely a personal choice, but a societal concern with implications for future planning and policy. The study will give better understanding of why some men are more likely to remain childless. Lastly, it can shed new light on why childlessness has increased rapidly among men.

See extended abstract

 Presented in Session 104. Fertility and Reproduction: Bringing Men Back In