The perceived experience of only children

Abstract

An in-depth interview was conducted with five young adult only children coming from intact families. Thematic analysis was used to explore their perceived experience of being an only child. This was then compared and contrasted to current and traditional literature on only children. It was found that being an only child is not such a negative ordinal position as stereotypes suggest. However, results show both psychological advantages and disadvantages of being an only child. The participants claimed to be independent and responsible but not selfish or spoilt. They experienced good parental and peer relationships. However, a sense of loss in childhood was felt especially during play, family outings and at home.