Single adult women's views on singlehood

The purpose of this study was to examine unmarried women's perceptions of singlehood. In other words, it aims to explore the experiences of single women in a society highly in favoring of marriage. Although the age of marriage and the number of single women has been increasing along with social changes, marriage is encouraged in societies where traditional values are predominant and perceived as essential for almost everyone. In such contexts, single women can be labeled such as 'old maid'. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the needs, concerns and problems of this group. The data were obtained from 17 unmarried women aged 25-37 years, living in Istanbul, Ankara and Diyarbakır by using qualitative research method with semi-structured in-depth interviews. The findings obtained with content analysis gathered under four main themes: (1) the single woman's view of singlehood, (2) the dilemma of getting married or not, (3) experiences in social circle, and (4) adherence to single life. Each theme has its own sub-themes in which research findings were evaluated. The results of the study indicated that adult single women experience internal and external pressures that cause them to question their marital status. The questions, comments and suggestions about the marriage in the family, social environment and society may have a negative impact on women's psychological wellbeing. Women resort to some ways to deal with these situations emotionally and to continue their daily lives. Findings and suggestions for practitioners and researchers are discussed.