Social Isolation among Childfree Adults in the United States

Childfree adults do not have or want children. Although they often experience social stigma and are subject to negative stereotypes, few studies have directly examined childfree adults' social networks. In this study, we used an egocentric network approach to examine whether childfree adults experience more social isolation than parents. Using representative data in the United States from the CHIP50-NET survey, we tested three pre-registered hypotheses regarding the size and composition of 2,928 childfree adults' and 12,863 parents' egocentric networks. Compared to parents, childfree adults had significantly fewer close relationships, especially in middle age. Additionally, on average, a minority (44%) of childfree adults' close relationships were with parents, while a majority (62%) of parents' close relationships were with other parents. These findings point to a need for activities and supports that build childfree adults' social networks and that connect childfree adults and parents.