REASONS FOR AND PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDLESSNESS AMONG OLDER PERSONS: Exploring the Impact of Marital Status and Gender INGRID ARNET CONNIDIS* JULIE ANN MCMULLIN University of Western Ontario ABSTRACT: zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCB Using a subsample of 281 childless respondents aged 55 and over, we examine reported reasons for being childless and subjective childless status (self-def- nition of childlessness as a matter of choice or circumstance). The primary reason for childlessness among never married individuals is being single while the central reasons for childlessness among the ever-married are physiological factors, age, and fate. However, the reported reasons for childlessness vary within both marital status groups depending on w hether respondents define their childlessness as a matter of choice or circumstance. Indeed, marital status and gender appear to be more closely related to childless status than are the actual reasons given for childlessness. The results show that the interaction between gender and marital status is a significant predictor of childless status, with widowed women most likely to define themselves as childless by circumstance. INTRODUCTION As aging research becomes increasingly sophisticated, growing attention has been paid to particular groups of older persons. This includes the childless, who represent a substantial proportion of the older population, with estimates at about 14 percent (Statistics Canada *Direct all correspondence to: Ingrid Arne~ Connidis, Inrerdisciplinary Group on Aging, 1389 W estern Rd. 2nd Floor. Univer.Tity of W estern On&u-io, L_mdon. Ontario. Cunada N6A 5B9. JOURNAL OF AGING STUDIES, Volume 10, Number 3, pages 205222. Copyright 0 1996 by JAI Press Inc. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved. ISSN: 08904065.