The relationship between marriage anxiety, the meaning of marriage, gender roles attitude and psychological flexibility

The aim of this study is to examine the relationships between the marital anxiety levels of unmarried individuals and the meaning attributed to marriage, gender role attitudes and psychological flexibility levels. The sample of the study was determined by convenient sampling. A total of 351 single individuals with and without a relationship participated in the research via an online questionnaire. Socio- demographic Information Form, Marriage Anxiety Scale, Attribution to Marriage Scale, Gender Roles Attitude Scale and Psychological Flexibility Scale were applied to the participants. The obtained data were analyzed with SPSS 28.0 statistical program. Pearson Correlation Coefficient Analysis, Regression, t-test and One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used in data analysis. According to the results obtained, there is a negative relationship between marriage anxiety and the positive meaning attributed to marriage; among the negative meaning attributed to marriage in the positive direction; significant negative correlations were found with psychological flexibility. It was seen that the scores of positive meaning attributed to marriage and negative meaning attributed to marriage predicted marital anxiety levels. It was observed that the levels of marriage anxiety, psychological flexibility, gender role attitudes and negative meanings attributed to marriage showed a significant difference according to the gender variable. While women's marriage anxiety, psychological flexibility and gender role attitudes levels were higher than men's, men's levels of negative meaning to marriage were found to be higher. The variables of current relationship status and the coexistence of parents and marriage anxiety scores differ significantly. Marriage anxiety levels of those who are currently in an active romantic relationship and those whose parents are alive and together are significantly lower than the other groups. The findings in this sample group were discussed and interpreted in the light of the relevant literature. Keywords: Gender roles attitude, marriage anxiety, psychological flexibility, the meaning of marriage