İNFERTİLİTEYLE MÜCADELE EDEN ERKEKLERİN YAŞAM DENEYİMLERİNİN SOSYAL HİZMET PERSPEKTİFİYLE DEĞERLENDİRİLMESİ

Abstract

Infertility is a social issue that must be addressed through a rights-based approach, considering its psychosocial and societal dimensions. The experiences of men struggling with infertility in Turkey remain largely invisible, creating significant gaps in knowledge production and practice. This study aims to explore the life experiences of men struggling with infertility, analyzing them through the lens of hegemonic masculinity and the ecological systems perspective, thereby addressing this gap. A phenomenological qualitative research design was employed to examine infertility as experienced within the context of social interactions. Maximum variation and snowball sampling strategies were used to identify participants, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 23 men who met the inclusion criteria, using a semi-structured interview guide. Data were thematically analyzed with MAXQDA and reported according to SRQR standards. Findings were organized into five themes: (1) the construction and reinforcement of masculinity, (2) confronting infertility as an unexpected journey, (3) understanding challenges through an ecological lens, (4) resilience pathways of men struggling with infertility, and (5) participants’ ecosystem-based recommendations. The analysis revealed that masculinity is not a fixed identity but a dynamic process reconstructed through social expectations and personal experiences. Infertility constitutes an unforeseen and cyclical journey, during which men face challenges ranging from the micro to the macro level. Nevertheless, they sustain psychosocial resilience through various coping strategies. In conclusion, infertility represents not only a biological condition but also a multidimensional and fragile experience that influences men’s identities, social roles, resilience, and relational dynamics. Social work holds the potential to make men’s often invisible experiences visible, assess their needs across ecological levels, and foster transformative approaches grounded in gender equality. Strengthening psychosocial support services, promoting inclusive rights-based practices through inter-institutional collaboration, and expanding interdisciplinary research are recommended.