شمارۀ جدید فصلنامه (پاییز1404) منتشر شد
1- Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran , m.sabzehei@basu.ac.ir
2- Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
2- Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
Abstract: (72 Views)
This qualitative study, grounded in the grounded theory approach, offers an in-depth exploration of the attitudes and lived experiences of never-married men over the age of 30 residing in four major Iranian cities: Tehran, Tabriz, Mashhad, and Isfahan, in relation to the phenomenon of voluntary singleness. A total of 24 participants, all of whom had experienced prolonged singlehood, were selected through purposive and theoretical sampling. Data were collected via in-depth interviews and analyzed using Strauss and Corbin’s three-stage coding process, allowing for a comprehensive examination of the issue. Findings indicate that the tendency toward remaining single stems from a complex interplay of causal factors, including intellectual maturity, a preference for premarital relationships over permanent marriage, fear of commitment and the uncertain future of marriage, and the perceived loss of personal freedom. Contextual conditions—such as modern lifestyles and shifting perceptions of marriage—further reinforce this tendency. Meanwhile, social institutions such as the family and the state act as intervening forces by imposing customary and legal constraints that hinder the path to marriage. Consequences of this condition include the continuation of single living, increased loneliness, and a growing inclination toward relationships outside the formal framework of marriage. Overall, singleness in this study is conceptualized as a conscious choice and a strategy for preserving personal autonomy and self-actualization within the context of contemporary social transformations.
Type of Article: Original Research |
Subject:
Family & Marriage
Received: 2025/03/4 | Accepted: 2025/08/4
Received: 2025/03/4 | Accepted: 2025/08/4
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC-BY-NC).
