Marital Timing of Emerging Adults: Familial Factors as Potent Predictors

Abstract

Understanding marital beliefs during emerging adulthood is notably important as it might help emerging adults create a path in this unique life period to form a marital union. However, the affective factors shaping emerging adults’ marriage beliefs are multifarious and merit further attention. Therefore, the ultimate goal of this research was to elucidate whether the family of origin’s quality and marriage age of parents were predictors of emerging adults’ ideal marriage age and the ideal amount of time needed to get to know a partner before marriage. The study group consisted of 500 unmarried university students and graduates in Turkey. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the marital timing of emerging adults was linked to a variety of familial factors. The ideal marital age of emerging adults was significantly predicted by the mother’s marital age, parents’ marital happiness and age. Later mother marriage age was correlated with later ideal age of marriage. Higher levels of perceived happiness in parents’ marriage was associated with earlier ideal age of marriage. Additionally, the mother’s marriage age and emerging adults’ relationship status and age were significant predictors of the ideal amount of time to get to know a partner before marriage. Later mother’s marriage age and having a romantic relationship was linked to a longer time to get to know a partner before marriage. Being older was also related to a shorter time to get to know a partner before marriage and the later ideal age of marriage. The ideal marital age is around 26 years old. Only 5% of emerging adults feel ready to get married. More than two-thirds of emerging adults do not want their marriage to resemble their parents’ marriage. Besides, most emerging adults give priority to a career in their life plans.