A comparative study of attitudes towards marriage among male and female students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2024

Document Type : Original article

Authors

1 Associate Professor, PhD in Health Information Management, Department of Health Information Technology, Paramedical and Rehabilitation Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Social Work Department, School of Paramedical and Rehabilitation Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

3 MSc Student of Health Information Technology, Department of Health Information Technology, School of Paramedical and Rehabilitation Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

10.22038/nnj.2025.84244.1465

Abstract

Background and Aims: Today, due to rapid economic and social changes and the growth of technology, people's lifestyles have undergone significant transformations, leading to shifts in their attitudes towards marriage. Given the significance of attitudes toward marriage and their impact on marital stability, this study examined the attitudes toward marriage among male and female students at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2024.
Materials and Methods: This study is a descriptive-analytical investigation conducted at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2024. The statistical population of this research included all students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Sampling was conducted in a two-stage, stratified, and clustered manner by distributing an electronic questionnaire.  After completing the samples, the survey data were entered into SPSS and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: 474 students with an average age of 21.61 ± 3.45 participated in the present study. The average attitude towards marriage was 27.56 ± 10.23 for female students and 23.03 ± 10.91 for male students. The results of comparing the average attitude towards marriage in girls and boys using the Yeoman-Whitney test showed that there is a statistically significant difference between the average attitude towards marriage in girls (MRg=257.35) and boys (MRb=199.98) of students (z=4.340, p < 0.001) in other words, the attitude of female students towards marriage was more positive than that of male students.
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that female students have a positive attitude about marriage compared to male students. According to the results of the research, the focus of cultural and social policy makers is suggested for a positive change in the attitude towards marriage or to encourage more of the young generation to marry.

Keywords


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