Analysis of Factors Affecting Unmarried Men’s and Women’s Attitude Toward Premarital Cohabitation

Abstract

Background/Objectives The purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting unmarried mens and womens attitude toward premarital cohabitation and provide data for programs preventing inappropriate premarital cohabitation.

Methods/Statistical analysis: Data were collected from 182 unmarried men and women during May 15th to June 30th, 2019. Characteristics by gender were checked using frequency and percentage, and homogeneity test by gender was done using x2 test. Cohabitation, marriage, and sexual attitudes were compared by t-test, and variable differences in gender and characteristics were checked using x2 test or t-test. Effects of gender on cohabitation attitude were analyzed by regression analysis.

Findings: There was no significant difference in mens and womens attitude toward cohabitation (p>.05). Sexual attitude based on general characteristics had significant difference in housing type, living expenses, and religion for men, preference for cohabitation and religion for women. The most influential factor on mens attitude toward cohabitation was open marriage value, followed by religion-Christianity and Catholicism and preference for cohabitation. The explanatory power was 50.9%. The most influential factor on womens attitude toward cohabitation was open marriage value, followed by preference for cohabitation, traditional marriage value, religion-Christianity and Catholicism, and equal division of family roles. The explanatory power was 70.9%.

Improvements/Applications: To establish appropriate cohabitation attitude, development of customized programs reflecting individuals marriage view, religion, and preference for cohabitation is necessary. Also, based on the results, follow-up studies are recommended.