DINAMIKA PSIKOLOGIS ISTRI INVOLUNTARY CHILDLESSNESS

nvoluntary childlessness is the condition of not having children when the individual or partner wants to have them. Involuntary childlessness has major psychological and social implications for couples, and is disproportionately experienced by women, especially in environments where fertility is highly valued. This study seeks to examine the psychological dynamics of wives who experience involuntary childlessness. The approach used in this study is qualitative with phenomenological methods. The informants in this study were four wives who experienced involuntary childlessness. The results of the study found that there were feelings of depression, sadness, disappointment, and feelings of imperfection as a woman in the early days of childless marriages. The source of pressure that made the informants feel hurt was talk or jokes, the majority of which came from the environment outside the family. There were positive things found by the informants regarding not having children, while the difficulties during trying to have children made them more grateful and able to understand their partner better. Even though they were in difficult times and felt pressured, in the end all the informants were able to surrender, be happy and still enjoy their childless marriage