Voluntary childlessness (VC) is a family communication issue which has garnered media attention for over 30 years. Guided by framing theory, in the present study we analyze media frames of voluntary childlessness in the United States between 1989 and 2018 to critically examine the formation of discourses governing childfree families over time. Guided by mixed method media frame analysis, 103 news articles were inductively thematized and then deductively coded to identify and quantify the dominant frames and the frame elements (i.e., story characters and generalizations to ongoing phenomena) that comprised them. Results first offer demographic information which provides necessary context to indicate from whom and where news coverage of VC is produced. Results further indicated five dominant frames of childfree families, seven character categories which elucidate who is (and is not) represented in news media coverage of VC, and three domains of generalizations which underscore the connection between VC and population changes, policy issues, and cultural and social shifts. Findings also offer empirical support for changes in frames and frame elements over time. The present findings offer a historical and culturally situated view of voluntary childlessness over the past three decades. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

中文翻译：

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1989 年至 2018 年美国自愿无子女的媒体框架

自愿无子女 (VC) 是一个家庭沟通问题，30 多年来一直受到媒体的关注。在框架理论的指导下，在本研究中，我们分析了 1989 年至 2018 年间美国自愿无子女的媒体框架，以批判性地审查随着时间的推移管理无子女家庭的话语的形成。在混合方法媒体框架分析的指导下，对 103 篇新闻文章进行归纳主题化，然后进行演绎编码，以识别和量化构成它们的主要框架和框架元素（即故事人物和对正在进行的现象的概括）。结果首先提供人口统计信息，该信息提供必要的上下文以表明 VC 的新闻报道是从谁和哪里产生的。结果进一步表明无子女家庭的五个主要框架，七个字符类别阐明了在 VC 的新闻媒体报道中代表（和不代表）谁，以及三个概括领域，它们强调了 VC 与人口变化、政策问题以及文化和社会变迁之间的联系。调查结果还为框架和框架元素随时间的变化提供了经验支持。目前的研究结果提供了过去三十年自愿无子女的历史和文化背景观点。讨论了对理论和实践的影响。目前的研究结果提供了过去三十年自愿无子女的历史和文化背景观点。讨论了对理论和实践的影响。目前的研究结果提供了过去三十年自愿无子女的历史和文化背景观点。讨论了对理论和实践的影响。