The Problem of Youth Reluctance to Marry: A Sociological Study of Causes and Consequences

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the issue of youth's reluctance to marry by exploring the following axes: the impact of negative family experiences and high divorce rates on shaping young individuals' perceptions and intrinsic fears regarding marriage; the role played by social media in building unrealistic expectations among youth about the ideal marital life and how this affects the decision to marry; the qualitative differences in the motives and impediments of reluctance to marry between males and females within the study population; and the alternative housing and living patterns adopted by young people who are hesitant to marry as means of achieving independence or temporary stability. A descriptive methodology was employed due to its suitability for the study's objectives. The study yielded the following results: -The findings indicated that negative family experiences, such as divorce and family breakdown, heighten young people's anxiety and apprehension about marriage, reinforcing a negative conviction that the marital institution is fragile and fraught with emotional and legal risks. -The study revealed that social media generates unrealistic and excessively idealized expectations regarding married life. The discrepancy between this digital paradigm and reality consequently inhibits young people's desire to marry. -The results confirmed clear differences in the motivations for reluctance to marry; economic reasons and fear of responsibility were the most prominent factors among males, while females' motivations focused on independence and the search for an equitable partner. -Young people reluctant to marry resort to alternative housing patterns as coping solutions. Living with parents emerged as the most common economic option, followed by shared accommodation with friends.