What determines the prevalence of unregistered marriages?

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Abstract

Background. Non-marital unions have become a widespread phenomenon in society, firmly associated with partnership instability, childlessness or low number of children, and with families receiving social subsidies for children due to an incomplete family composition or absence of acknowledged paternity.

Purpose – to identify the motives for opting for an unregistered marriage.

Materials and methods. The study is of a theoretical-empirical nature, based on analysis of scientific publications, Rosstat (Federal State Statistics Service of Russia) data, as well as the results of the conducted empirical study. Sample size: 242 persons. Mean age of men – 32.4±2.4, of women – 29.7±1.7. Research methods applied in the work were as follows: testing, survey, interview, secondary statistics, i.e., correlation analysis, criteria of reliability.

Results. Women with secondary education prefer a legal marriage to a non-marital union. Willingness to officially change marital status is planned by both men and women not earlier than at the age of 30. People tend to opt for cohabitation after the age of 37 if they have not settled their personal life. A high level of income is the prerequisite of leadership within the partnership. Predominant motives for opting for an unregistered marriage include improvement of material situation, resolution of social and household problems, social pressure, emotional support, sexual needs satisfaction, urge to get rid of loneliness. A pragmatic attitude toward the chosen partner, egocentrism, externality are frequent reasons leading to dissolution of such unions. The increase in the number of unregistered marriages is conditioned by low economic security, the negative example of one's own parental family (single-parent or reconstituted family for one or both parents, low number of children, devaluing attitudes accompanying spousal/partner contacts). 

About the authors

Tatiana N. Kochetkova

Saint Petersburg University of the State Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia

Author for correspondence.
Email: Tatnik2021@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2782-4520
SPIN-code: 8087-4835
ResearcherId: K-2221-2016

PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology of Extreme Situations

 

Russian Federation, 149, Moskovskaya Str., Saint Petersburg, 196105, Russian Federation

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