Abstract

In parts of rural China male-biased sex ratios at birth, combined with out-migration of women, have led to highly male-biased adult sex ratios, resulting in large numbers of men being unable to marry, in a culture where marriage and reproduction are an expectation. The aim of this study was to test the hypotheses that older unmarried men are more predisposed to depression, low self-esteem and aggression than both those who are married, and those who are younger and unmarried. Self-completion questionnaires were administered among men aged 20–40 in 48 villages in rural Guizhou province, southwestern China. Tools used included the Beck Depression Inventory, the Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale and the Bryant-Smith Aggression Questionnaire. Regression models assessed psychological wellbeing while adjusting for socio-demographic variables. Completed questionnaires were obtained from 957 never-married men, 535 married men aged 30–40, 394 partnered men and 382 unpartnered men aged 20–29. After adjusting for socio-demographic variables, never-married men were more predisposed to depression (p < 0.05), aggression (p < 0.01), low self-esteem (p < 0.05) and suicidal tendencies (p < 0.001). All the psychological measures deteriorated with age in never-married men. In contrast, married men remained stable on these dimensions with age. Never-married men are a psychologically highly vulnerable group in a society where marriage is an expectation. Since the highest birth sex–ratio cohorts have not yet reached reproductive age, the social tragedy of these men will last for at least another generation.This article is part of the themed issue ‘Adult sex ratios and reproductive decisions: a critical re-examination of sex differences in human and animal societies’.

Highlights

  • In this paper we explore the effects of some of the most extreme human adult sex ratios (ASR) in the world today

  • The extremely male-biased ASRs seen in rural China are the result of a combination of male-biased sex ratios at birth (SRB) and out-migration of women

  • Because our previous research in rural areas with male-biased ASRs showed that unmarried men over the age of 30 are generally regarded as unmarriageable, we defined an un-partnered man over the age of 30 as a ‘never-married man’

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Summary

Introduction

In this paper we explore the effects of some of the most extreme human adult sex ratios (ASR) in the world today. Across China, a surfeit of males, in rural areas, leads to a lack of marital prospects for large numbers of men. This situation is of contemporary concern, both in the public consciousness and research literature, and has recently been described as a ‘real world crisis of monumental proportions’ [1]. The extremely male-biased ASRs seen in rural China are the result of a combination of male-biased sex ratios at birth (SRB) and out-migration of women. Male-biased SRBs are seen in societies where there is a tradition of son preference, easy access to sex-selective technology and a low fertility culture [2]

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