Exploring girls' perceptions of and reasons for delaying marriage (case study: South Khorasan province)

The present study has a mixed-methods, sequential exploratory design and aimed to explore girls' perceptions of and reasons for delaying marriage. The population of the qualitative part of the research was all the single girls over 27 years of age in South Khorasan province who lived in Birjand city for educational and occupational reasons, that using sampling method, 13 people selected as participants. The statistical population of the quantitative part of the study, using available sampling method, 90 people selected the statistical sample. Data was collected using a semi-structured interview and a researcher-made questionnaire. Maxqda10 software and smart pls3 were used for data analysis. The results identified four dimensions associated with girls’ delayed age at marriage, namely economic, cultural, social, and demographic dimensions. The economic (0.54) and cultural (0.51) dimensions explained of delay marriages changes in research. Therefore, the economic dimension has a more effective role in explaining girls’ delayed marriages. In general, these dimensions explained 0.82 of the changes in the delayed marriages of girls in south Khorasan province. The results further showed that both the financial independence and, conversely, the lack of employment of girls were the most important economic components affecting girls’ delay in marrying. Moreover, customs and a negative attitude toward marriage are considered the most important cultural factors affecting girls’ marrying age in south Khorasan province. Based on the results of this research, provincial managers and policymakers should take a special look at resolving economic and cultural issues in order to reduce the marrying age of girls in south Khorasan province.