The Influence of Social Factors on Cohabitation in Thailand: Does It Affect Teenagers?

Abstract

The phenomenon of two individuals living together as life partners without having been through a legal marriage service (cohabitation) has always existed in many communities worldwide. The conceptualization of cohabitation varies depending on the attributes of each society. This qualitative and quantitative research investigated the social factors influencing cohabitation among Thai teenagers. The results were obtained by drawing on 1,328 first-to-fourth-year students selected using a stratified random sampling technique and 28 in-depth interviews. The survey was conducted using questionnaires to gather information from the respondents. The discussion is based on intensive interviews with junior and senior students who had experienced cohabitation and some who had not. Most respondents (50.42%) agreed that sex education among Thai families has been overlooked and not included in the domestic discussion. However, cohabitating is considered to go against Thai tradition, resulting in teenagers dating each other secretly (47.20%). The survey revealed that 36.62 percent of participants indicated that a lack of affection and intimacy within their family could lead to cohabitation. Both teenage boys and girls were living a modern lifestyle influenced by society (53.19%), of which 52.16 percent revealed that independence could fuel their desire to participate in a sexual relationship. Living in a private dormitory gave them more opportunities to live with their partners (53.06%). In addition, 42.29 percent of the participants agreed that their behavior while in a relationship was similar to that of their parents. This study also employed Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient to analyze the significance of the factors under consideration.