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Abstract
Objective: To explore the life experiences and quality of life of involuntarily childless men to determine whether adoption improves their quality of life. Background: The current study focused on specific life experiences – the strength of the desire for a child, problems in marital understanding and the quality of life of involuntarily childless men undergoing fertility treatment and adoptive fathers who had experienced infertility in an Indian context. Methods: A convenience sample of 100 involuntarily childless men undergoing fertility treatment was recruited and 100 adoptive fathers were selected through snowball sampling. Participants provided demographic information and completed seven questions that measured their strength of child wish (four items) and problems in marital understanding regarding childlessness (three items). Quality of life was measured with a German instrument, the Tübingen Quality of Life Questionnaire for Men with Involuntary Childlessness (TLMK; 35 items, English version). Results: Both groups emphasised the importance of being a parent. There was only a slight difference in problems in marriage due to childlessness. However, the results of the TLMK revealed that the adoptive fathers perceived an overall better quality of life than the involuntarily childless men. Conclusion: Adoption can improve the quality of life of involuntarily childless men in this particular ethnic group. Designing culture- and gender-specific counselling could be beneficial to both groups.