Premarital Relationships Research Articles

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices towards Sexual and Reproductive Health among Secondary School Students in Kicukiro District, Rwanda

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is intricately connected to a variety of factors, including cultural norms, psychological influences, and individual experiences. This study explores the experiences of late adolescents regarding SRH, focusing on their knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Kicukiro District, Rwanda. Despite government efforts to educate youth on SRH, many secondary school students remain vulnerable to issues like unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding sexual and reproductive health among secondary school students in Kicukiro District, Rwanda. The study targeted secondary school students from two schools: Groupe Scolaire Saint Vincent Pillotie Gikondo (urban) and EFOTEK (rural). Using Fisher’s formula, a sample size of 423 respondents was determined through stratified random sampling. Data were collected via structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS and descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentages, means, and standard deviations. The findings revealed that 88% of students were aware of puberty and pregnancy processes, while 78.7% were knowledgeable about contraceptive methods, particularly condoms and oral contraceptives. Positive attitudes towards SRH were noted, with a mean score of 4.00 for pre-marital relationships, but significant misconceptions existed, such as 11% of respondents lacking knowledge on HIV protection. The overall mean for practices related to SRH was 3.98 for seeking medical check-ups, indicating a willingness to engage with health services. However, practices promoting healthy lifestyles received a lower mean of 3.25, suggesting areas needing improvement. The study highlights the need for enhanced sexual and reproductive health education among secondary school students in Kicukiro District. While students demonstrate good knowledge and positive attitudes toward SRH, targeted interventions are necessary to address misconceptions and promote healthier practices, particularly in areas related to lifestyle and open communication.

Pola Komunikasi Keluarga dalam Penerimaan Diri Perempuan dengan Kehamilan Tidak Diinginkan

The facts show that Self-Acceptance of Unwanted Pregnancy occurs a lot, especially because sexual relations are increasingly considered normalized by today's teenagers. Among the factors that encourage unwanted pregnancies to occur is communication between the couple and their environment. Therefore, this research aims to determine the Communication Patterns in the Family and Environment in Self-Acceptance of Unwanted Pregnancy Decisions in Premarital Relationships. This research is qualitative research with a phenomological approach. As informants for this research were 3 people who were perpetrators of unwanted pregnancies, 1 person from the perpetrator's family, and 1 child and adolescent psychology counselor in the city of Bandung. The results of the research state that in making decisions in conditions of Unwanted Pregnancy, everything happens in conditions that can cause good or bad thinking. The communication that occurs starts from the woman's side to ask her partner for responsibility and then tells the woman's family. So in this action, there were several different responses that the female perpetrators received from their partners. So with the differences in responses that occur, in the end the decisions and conditions that occur are also different.

Analysis of the order of marriage in Russia (based on the materials of the Pilot book)

The relevance of the research is determined by the fact that, based on the analysis of the Pilot Book, knowledge about the genesis of ancient Russian family law is expanding, allowing to reveal the historical roots of modern legislation in this area and to identify the influence of cultural, religious and social factors on the formation of norms and principles of family law. The scientific discussion on this issue contributes to a deep understanding of the history of the Russian state and law, the actualization of issues of marriage and family relations in the context of modern challenges and changes in society.The purpose of the study is to reveal the features, conditions and procedure of marriage in Russia.The objectives are to identify the factors influencing the order of marriage, identify obstacles to marriage, and establish the religious and legal basis of marital and family relations.Methodology. The methodological basis is determined by the historical and legal nature of the research, based on the principles of historicism, a systematic approach and objectivity in understanding the legacy of the Pilot Book.Results. In the course of the study, the foundations of family legislation were determined, among them are: the chaste nature of premarital relations, which does not violate the foundations of family values and life in marriage; the definition of marriage as a union of a man and a woman, with the aim of legitimate childbearing and avoiding a sinful life; the consent of both spouses to marry, the absence of obstacles to marriage (kinship, nepotism, etc.); the obligatory wedding of the spouses and the blessing of the priest of the couple; the responsibility of the husband for the wife.Conclusion. In the conditions of modern Russia, the appeal to the historical and legal heritage of the past is dictated by the need to strengthen the authority and support the institution of the family and basic family values. The analysis of the norms of the Steering Book (Nomocanon), which laid the foundations of family legislation, helps to understand the values and principles that have been formed in society over the centuries and influence modern legislation.

The Study of Marriage Postponement Process in the Youth: A Phenomenological Study

Aim: The purpose of this study was to study the phenomenological process of postponing marriage in young people in order to understand different aspects of this phenomenon and how young people perceive it. Methods: To achieve the research goal, a qualitative approach and a descriptive phenomenological method were utilized. The research population included single and never-married girls and boys living in Tehran between the ages of 28 to 34 years for girls, and 32 to 38 years for boys. Purposeful sampling was used with the convenient sampling and 13 individuals including 7 girls and 6 boys were selected as the sample.y. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed by Colaizzi method. Finding: Finally, the research findings reported falls into 12 main themes and 61 sub-themes. The main themes are: economic concerns, idealism, fear of future marriage, the impact of premarital relationships, motivational processes, immaturity and readiness for marriage, the role of family barriers, socio-cultural factors, selection constraints, preconceived notions of marriage, positive consequences and negative consequences. Conclusions: The results showed that postponing marriage is a complex phenomenon which is affected by objective constraints, limiting mental perceptions and insufficient maturity and has many negative consequences for young people. It seems that the efforts of the counseling and psychological community to produce content in the fields of creating a culture of easy marriage process, reviving the values of marriage, correcting the misconceptions of young people, and dissemination of successful marriages in the social media and networks, is an effective step to remove mental barriers of marriage.

Physio-psychosocial risk of depression among college-going adolescents: A cross-sectional study in Bangladesh

BackgroundDepression among adolescents is a growing concern worldwide, including in Bangladesh. This study aimed to investigate depression and its associated factors among college-going adolescents in Bangladesh. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1919 college-going adolescents through a Google-based questionnaire covering all administrative divisions of Bangladesh. Respondents’ socio-demographic information was collected, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to assess depression. Different statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and multinomial logistic regression, were performed to analyze the data. ResultsThe results showed that a majority of the adolescents (65.5 %) were female and identified as Muslim (92.0 %). The average age was 17.5 years, with 33.9 % reporting pre-marital relationships and 10.7 % engaging in daily exercise. Alarmingly, over 80 % of college-going adolescents experienced moderate to severe depression (24.3 % moderate; 29.1 % moderately severe, and 26.8 % severe). Factors including gender, social media use, physical exercise, pre-marital relationships, religious practices, experiences of blackmail, and major physical illnesses have significant association (p < 0.001) with the increased risk of depression among college-going adolescents in Bangladesh. The multinomial logistic regression analysis found female adolescents, social media users, those not engaged in regular exercise, individuals in pre-marital relationships, non-practitioners of religion, victims of blackmail, and those with major physical illnesses had the higher odds of experiencing moderate to severe depression. ConclusionThe high depression level among Bangladeshi college-going adolescents underscores the urgent need for targeted mental health intervention to address associated risk factors and promote the well-being of college-going adolescents in Bangladesh.

Depression among currently married ever pregnant adolescents in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar: Evidence from understanding the lives of adolescents and young adults (UDAYA) survey, India.

Depression is a major public health concern among Indian adolescents. Pre- and post-natal depression can often alter fetal development and have negative consequences on the physical and mental health of the mother. This paper aims to draw attention to the prevalence of depression and its correlates among currently married, ever-pregnant adolescents from two Indian States, i.e. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This study utilizes data from a subsample (n = 3116) of the prospective cohort study Understanding the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults (UDAYA) among 10 to 19 year-old adolescents. Bivariate analysis was performed to assess the prevalence of depression by sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. To further access the predictors associated with depression a logistic regression model was applied. Around one-tenth (9%) of pregnant adolescents had depression. Regression analysis indicated that substance use, religion, autonomy, considering attempting suicide, premarital relationship, violence, dowry, adverse pregnancy outcome, menstrual problem, and parental pressure for the child immediately after marriage were significantly associated with depression. This study confirms the pre-existing annotation that teen pregnancy is linked with depression. Findings indicate that Adolescent mothers experiencing violence, and a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes are at increased risk of developing depression. These study findings call for an urgent need to address depression among adolescent mothers.

Assessing The Issues of Honour and Violence Against Women: A Human Rights Discourse Framework for The Detection of Violence Against Women

The term 'Honour Killing' is conventionally used to denote a specific category of extralegal killings where the act of murder is seen to have been motivated by pre-modern affiliations/sentiments of some sort. Acts of violence committed against people for marrying outside of caste/religion/ethnicity or other similar infringements where they are seen by their actions to have besmirched the honour of the family and the larger community come under the broad rubric of honour crime. Implicit in using the term are assumptions that mark it as different from other crimes. Honour is defined in terms of women assigned sexual and familial roles as dictated by traditional family ideology. Thus, adultery, premarital relationships (which may or may not include sexual relations), rape, and falling in love with an "inappropriate" person may constitute violations of family honour. 'Crimes of honour' as a form of violence against women does not imply that men also are not subjected to such crimes. In cases of forced marriage or interference with the right of choice and whom to marry, pressure from older family members over younger members will apply to men as well as to women. However, women remain the victims and survivors of 'crimes of honour' and have fewer available remedies.

Russian-Language Versions of Inventories Measuring Styles and Effectiveness of Conflict Resolution in Close Relationships

The article presents the results of the development of Russian-language versions of two inventories proposed by L. A. Kurdek to assess the conflicts in close relationships: The Ineffective Arguing Inventory and the Conflict Resolution Style Inventory. The theoretical basis of these inventories is the result of studies that have revealed the important role of conflict in the stability of the family and described the unproductive pattern of conflict behavior. In a sample of 415 people (43 % men) aged 18 to 66 years old (M = 28.02; SD = 8.05) in premarital (42%) or marital (58%) relationships the factor structure of the questionnaires was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis, as well as acceptable internal consistency coefficients of the scales were obtained. The validity of the questionnaires is proved by the expected correlations of ineffective arguing and three conflict resolution style scales (positive, conflict engagement, and withdrawal) with indicators of the frequency of conflicts in a couple, relationship satisfaction, attachment style, empathy, and forgiveness. The fourth conflict resolution style (compliance) showed weak correlations with only some validity criteria, which reflects a less important role of this style in the conflicts of premarital and married couples. Correlations of conflict scales with age and duration of relationships were not significant, weak gender differences were revealed only in the tendency to a positive style of conflict resolution (higher in women). The proposed inventories can be useful in future studies of marital conflict, as well as in preventive and counselling work.

Level of HIV serodiscordance and associated factors among heterosexual couples in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

HIV-related causes accounted for approximately 770,000 deaths globally in 2018. Globally, there were 1.7 million new infections, and approximately 37.9 million people were living with HIV by the end of 2018. According to the WHO 2018 study, the African Region was the most affected, with 25.7 million people living with HIV in 2018. In Africa, married and cohabiting couples have a high prevalence of HIV discordance, ranging from 3% to 20% in the general population. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the level of HIV serodiscordance among married couples in Ethiopia and the contributing factors. Studies were systematically searched, utilizing international databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Embase. The level of quality of the included articles, which employed cross-sectional and cohort study designs, was evaluated using the New Castle Ottawa scale. The systematic review employed a random-effects approach, and statistical analysis was conducted using STATA version 17 software. The presence of statistical heterogeneity within the included studies was assessed using the I-squared statistic. The random-effects meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled level of HIV serodiscordance. The results were reported following the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. A total of ten (10) observational studies were included in this review. The pooled level of HIV serodiscordance among married heterosexual couples in Ethiopia was found to be 11.4% (95% CI = 7% -15.7%). The results from the meta-analysis indicated a significant positive association between HIV serodiscordance and the variables studied. Specifically, consistently using condoms (OR = 1.82; 95% CI: 1.08-2.56), having a CD4 count of >200 cells/mm3 (OR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.12-1.77), and having a premarital sexual relationship (OR = 1.93; 95% CI: 1.28-2.57) were strongly linked to couples' serodiscordance. To protect a seronegative partner in a serodiscordant relationship from acquiring HIV infection, it is crucial to implement preventive measures. These measures include providing comprehensive health education on the correct and consistent use of condoms, ensuring regular monitoring and care at an antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinic, and offering voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services to both sexual partners.

Peran Fikih dalam Mengatur Pergaulan Remaja Masa Kini

This research explores the critical role of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) in guiding and regulating the social interactions of contemporary adolescents. Drawing on historical narratives in the Islamic tradition and emphasizing the importance of Fiqh in addressing challenges such as juvenile delinquency, the research underscores the need for practical application of Fiqh principles in everyday life. It argues that Fiqh education, which goes beyond theoretical understanding, entails the practical implementation of acquired knowledge, integrating theory and action. This study uses the literature research method, reviewing relevant literature to analyze the concept of adolescent social interaction from an Islamic fiqh perspective. The findings indicate a mismatch between Islamic values and current teenage trends, including changes in dressing styles, an increase in premarital relationships, drug abuse, and materialistic pursuits. The paper suggests the need for guidance from adolescents and parents to bridge the gap between Islamic principles and contemporary trends, emphasizing the importance of fiqh education in adolescence as a basis for navigating life in accordance with Islamic values.

Prevalence of depression and its associated factors among undergraduate admission candidates in Bangladesh: A nation-wide cross-sectional study.

The undergraduate admission test is one of the most stressful assessments in a student's life, as it is required for admission to any of Bangladesh's public universities or medical colleges. Those taking the admissions test are under a lot of pressure to perform well. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of clinical depression among Bangladeshi admission candidates and the factors that contribute to it. Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and other socio-demographic information were collected from 5263 students from all over Bangladesh. Apart from descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, an ordinal logistic regression model was also applied to determine the factors associated with depression. The study revealed that among the undergraduate admission applicants, 74% of individuals were affected by depression, while 26% experienced moderate depression, 26% experienced moderately severe depression, and 22% experienced severe depression. The level of depression among females was 1.8 times higher than the male admission candidates. Our analyses found that gender (p <0.001), exercise (p <0.001), pre-marital relationships (p <0.001), daily study time less than 3 hours (p <0.001), practice of religion (p <0.001), victim of blackmail (p <0.001), family unrest (p <0.001), major illness (p <0.001), COVID-19 infection (p <0.001), GPA in higher secondary (p <0.001), mental problem (p <0.001), all categories of the variable confidence level for exam preparation (p <0.001) had a significant impact on increasing depression. The research found a severe rate of depression among Bangladeshi undergraduate admission candidates. Interactive mental health care programs must include family and teachers to tackle the problem. To alleviate mental stress and depression, students should learn to nurture their mental health.

Pengembangan Model Edukasi Telehealth terhadap Pencegahan Perilaku Seksual Pranikah pada Remaja: Literatur Review

Pre-marital sexual behavior in adolescents can influence developmental tasks and increase risky behaviors such as unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Social media, gadget influence, and inappropriate peer selection play a role in these occurrences. Peer education models through counselling centers in schools are crucial in providing insights and experiences for better and healthier behavior. Telehealth models serve as an educational method that can reduce pre-marital sexual behavior by providing information on reproductive health and preventing pre-marital sexual behavior. The research method used was a comprehensive literature review. A total of 11 articles meeting inclusion criteria were found, utilizing educational media through m-health, WhatsApp groups, videos, and leaflets. Data gathered included insights into sexual diseases, positive attitudes towards change, adolescent knowledge and interests, education level, gender, self-efficacy, general health status, socioeconomic status, living conditions, healthcare facilities, and marital status. Clinical practice implications through peer education can enhance adolescent knowledge, thus potentially reducing premarital sexual relationships and unwanted pregnancies among adolescents. Based on the literature study, the telehealth education model can be further developed using other theoretical models to make its implementation more comprehensive.

Dangerous liaisons, or strategies for family management in eighteenth-century Venice

ABSTRACTIn 1745, a lengthy and unusual case was brought before the Venetian Executors against Blasphemy, a secular court with jurisdiction over a wide range of crimes that violated standards of morality. The parents of two young women from the Venetian mainland state were accused of pimping their two eldest daughters to Jewish men from the Venetian Ghetto in return for financial support, helping them to support their ten children. But the story became much more complicated as the court investigated the young women’s relationships; one of the daughters did seem to have a relationship with a married Jew who had promised to convert and marry her, while the other was actually a nobleman’s courtesan, supported by the same patrician who served as a guardian to a young Giacomo Casanova. Although to the patricians who served as judges, any exploitation of a young woman’s sexuality was deemed criminal, ordinary eighteenth-century Venetians saw things differently. Large families were difficult to support, and all members contributed as they were able. Typically we think of apprenticeships, domestic service, and piecework as the key strategies for supporting a family and training children for their future lives. For women, historians have long acknowledged that service carried risks of sexual exploitation, as well. But what has not been recognised as a strategy is the encouragement of premarital relations or of sex work as alternatives to domestic service and piecework. Through a microhistorical approach, this article argues that the case of the Zambelli family shows us a wider range of morally ambiguous options for supporting a large family and setting up daughters to leave the family home, many of which included threats of sexual exploitation, damaged honour, and unwanted pregnancies.

Predictors of Sexual and Reproductive Self-care Among Iranian Adolescent Females

Background: Self-care can include the activities that individuals perform in accordance with their needs to maintain and promote their health. Puberty is the most important change that comes with adolescence, which necessitates adolescents to become aware of their sexual and reproductive health. Objectives: The objective of the present study was to investigate the predictors of adolescent females’ sexual and reproductive self-care status. Methods: This cross-sectional study using random multistage sampling was conducted on adolescent females aged 14 - 19 years in the secondary schools of Karaj, Iran, in 2022. A total of 555 female students voluntarily completed the survey. The survey included the Female Adolescents’ Sexual and Reproductive Self-care Scale (FASRSCS). Pearson’s correlation coefficient and univariable and multivariable linear regression were applied. Results: The mean score of the FASRSCS was 65.42 out of 100 (standard deviation (SD) = 10.27). The highest mean score was acquired on the Perception of Female Adolescents of Premarital Sexual Relationships subscale (85.98 (SD = 14.28)), and the lowest mean score was acquired on the Reproductive and Sexual Health Knowledge subscale (36.97 (SD = 23.58)). The total score on the FASRSCS had the strongest association with the Adolescents and Family Interaction subscale (r = 0.71, P &lt; 0.001), and the weakest association was with the Reproductive and Sexual Health Knowledge subscale (r = 0.38, P &lt; 0.001). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that having very strong religious beliefs (β = 0.23, P &lt; 0.001), receiving information regarding puberty and menstrual health from peers (β = -0.20, P &lt; 0.001), and cold parent-child relationship (β = -0.19, P &lt; 0.001) were independent significant predictors of good sexual and reproductive self-care among adolescent females. Conclusions: Given the importance of religious beliefs, parent-adolescent relationships, and the sources through which adolescents receive information regarding their sexual and reproductive health self-care, it is necessary to appropriate design interventions, including the aforementioned factors, in order to optimize and promote good sexual and reproductive health among female Iranian adolescents.

The Feminization of Migration and Mental Health of Older Parents Left Behind: Evidence from Indonesia

With female outmigration for work on the rise, it becomes pertinent to examine how the evolving gender composition of labor migrant streams influences the well-being of those left behind at origin. This study investigates whether a daughter's outmigration for work distinctly affects the mental health of older parents left behind, drawing on the case of Indonesia — one of the largest sources of male and female migrant labor in the world. It uses individual fixed effects regressions to model changing mental health outcomes for a representative panel of 2,133 older parents, ages 50 or more, from the 2007–2008 and 2014–2015 Indonesia Family Life Survey. It finds that older parents, specifically older mothers, who had a daughter migrate for work between waves saw a greater increase in depression over time compared to those who had (a) no labor migrant children in either wave, and (b) only labor migrant sons in both waves. Possible reasons for these gendered mental health implications are discussed, including loss of preferred caregivers at origin, concerns about migrant children's precarity at destination, worries about married migrant daughters’ family stability, and anxieties about unmarried migrant daughters engaging in premarital relationships at destination. This study underscores the need to consider gender-based heterogeneities in future investigations on the impact of migration on those left behind, and in social protection efforts for vulnerable elderly.

Стратегии формирования благополучия студенческих семей (по результатам глубинного интервью)

The methodological basis of the research is built within the framework of understanding sociology and the theory of social action by M. Weber. The paper reveals the content of the concept of a prosperous young family, highlights the parameters of the well-being of a student family. The empirical base of the study is the data of indepth interviews (n = 80) conducted with members of student families from 10 regions of Russia. The method of "grounded theory" and the method of reconstructing the life path of the family were used to process the obtained results. The main objective of the study is to identify strategies for the formation of well-being of Russian student families for the implementation of marital and reproductive behavior as well as systematization of problems affecting the decline in well-being. The main problem is financial difficulties of student families. The socio-economic status of a student family depends on many conditions. For example, status of the spouses' parent family, age of spouses, willingness and ability to combine work and study, availability of a separate housing or resources for rent for a young family. In addition to material problems married students have psychological difficulties adapting to new roles. With appearing children affordable and high-quality medical care, assistance in child care, and inclusion of educational organizations in the development of an individual training plan are necessary. Reproductive orientations of students correspond to the practices of goal-oriented and value-rational behavior (with the exception of cases of unplanned pregnancy) because the birth of children is associated with responsibility. It is revealed that the strategies for the formation of well-being of student families are influenced by many factors. Firstly, there is impact of scenarios for the development of premarital relationships. For example, the transformation of youth romantic relationships and youth love into marital relations, effective joint activity, shared values as the basis for marriage, acquaintance in friends' company and at work, acquaintance through social networks, "influence of parents", "need for legal consolidation of relationships", "responsibility for unplanned pregnancy". Secondly, the reproductive attitudes of married families is also significant. Thirdly, there is influence of family measures and demographic policy implemented in the region and the resources of educational organizations for effective assistance to a young family.

“Some days are much holier than others”: Relational uncertainty and partner influence in Christian dating couples' sexual intimacy negotiation

AbstractWhen intrafaith couples' religion strictly prohibits premarital sexual intercourse, negotiating sexual intimacy can become a multilayered process of identity negotiation that compounds the difficulty of sexual communication. Through the lens of relational turbulence theory, this study explored how devout Christian couples negotiate sexual intimacy by reanalyzing qualitative interview data the first author collected in 2017 from 16 self‐identified Christians (8 heterosexual couples). Seven themes revealed how relational uncertainty, partner interference, and partner facilitation manifested in the context of sexual intimacy negotiation. Themes of relational uncertainty experience and prevention included assumption of shared values, relationship talk, and sexual behaviors as an uncertainty catalyst. Partner facilitation and interference emerged as themes of sexual escalation and de‐escalation including snowball effect, pinpointing underlying motivations for boundary violations, gatekeeping sexual temptation, and drawing from shared values of sacrifice and prayer. These interpretive findings advance the literature on relational turbulence theory and provide Christian dating couples with practical advice for how to negotiate sexual intimacy in committed premarital relationships.

Premarital and Extramarital Relationships: A Study of A Selected Slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Premarital and extramarital relationships among the slum dwellers in Dhaka city have become a matter growing concern. However, it has not been yet spotlighted in empirical research. As such, the main purpose of the study was to identify the causes and consequences of premarital and extramarital relationships. The study was a qualitative study where multiple case-study design was employed. Primary data were collected via in-depth interviews from ten participants by using snowball sampling. Moreover, three key informants were interviewed for further supportive information. The study shows that poor social environment and living conditions, learning unethical sexual practice from close friends, falsehood promise for marriage, and uncontrolled sexual desire are the major causes of premarital and extramarital relationship among the slum dwellers. The study also reveals that unsafe and unprotected sexual intercourse, unintended pregnancies and induced abortions, domestic violence and divorce, and the risk of spreading STDs and STIs are major potential consequences of premarital and extramarital relationships among the slum dwellers and thus the issues are a great threat to social and environmental well-being. The study suggests that both government and non-government organizations should undertake proper policy measures and programs such as propagation of health awareness programs, especially on HIV/AIDS and STDS, provision of civic amenities, enforcement of laws, and development of moral values to minimize premarital and extramarital relationships among slum dwellers

The changing face of intimate premarital relationships in Taiwan

AbstractObjectiveThis paper examines changing intimate premarital relationships in Taiwan.BackgroundMarriages have been on the decline. Whether these foregone marriages are associated with a rise in cohabitation or other alternatives have become central to a thorough understanding of family changes, yet relevant research on Taiwan is limited.MethodsThe Taiwan Fertility and Family Survey collected nationally representative samples of 23,495 men and women aged 20–49 in four waves from 1998 to 2016. These were used to investigate changing patterns of cohabitation, marriage plans among cohabiting couples, premarital sex, and bridal pregnancies in addition to how the patterns vary by sex, education, and cohort.ResultsMore adults in Taiwan have experienced intimate premarital relationships since 1998, with a shift from no educational gradient to a negative one for cohabitation and premarital conception. These patterns were gendered during 2012–2016. With a persistently short duration and fewer adults living together with the idea of eventually getting married, cohabitation has become less of a prelude to marriage than an alternative to singlehood, and very few of these have involved children. These shifting behaviors have been driven mainly by the cohort replacement effect and intra‐cohort changes.ConclusionCohabitation has yet to become a long‐term stable union involving children. A lower birth rate caused by later and fewer marriages has not been offset by nonmarital births in cohabitation, and bridal pregnancies did not seem to have resulted in more marriages. Taiwan's socio‐cultural context likely plays a crucial role in the quasi‐Second Demographic Transition family changes here.

Stability and change in newlyweds' social networks over the first years of marriage.

Marriage sanctifies the relationship between two spouses, but what happens to their relationships with family, friends, and others who comprise their social networks? Scholarly accounts disagree about whether couples' networks strengthen, weaken, or remain stable in the years after marriage. To reconcile competing perspectives, marriage licenses from lower income communities were used to recruit 462 spouses (231 couples) in their first marriages. Each spouse independently provided data on 24 network members with whom they interact regularly (over 11,000 network members). These data were used to calculate 14 dimensions of each spouse's social network, and networks were assessed in this way three times over the first 18 months of marriage. Over time, spouses' networks grew to include more of each other's family members, more married and financially secure individuals and more members with whom they reported good relationships. For husbands, proportions of their own friends and their wives' friends declined. Proportions of own family and members providing support did not change. With rare exceptions, these changes were not moderated by premarital parenthood, cohabitation, or relationship duration. Thus, regardless of a couples' premarital history, getting married itself appears to be associated with specific changes in spouses' social networks. Yet whether those changes broaden or narrow their networks depends on where in the network one looks. Illuminating how relationships between spouses are shaped by relationships outside the marriage therefore requires multifaceted assessments that are capable of distinguishing among discrete elements of couples' social networks. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).