Javad Yoosefi Lebni - PhD in Health Education and Health Promotion, Health Promotion Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Razieh pirouzeh - PhD in Health Education and Health Promotion, Department of Public Health, Esfarayen Faculty of Medical Sciences, Esfarayen, Iran
bahar khosravi - MA in Women’s Studies, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran
Morteza Mansourian - Associate Professor, Health Promotion Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Introduction: Both increase in the age of marriage and the prolonged singlehood among girls have become a major problem in Iranian society, leading to psychological and social harm. Therefore, the present study aimed to explain the reasons for singlehood among girls aged over ۳۳ years living in Tehran.Methods: This study was a qualitative content analysis. The study population consisted of single girls aged over ۳۳ years old in Tehran, Iran. A total of ۱۸ unmarried girls aged over ۳۳ years were purposefully selected and studied using semi-structured interviews. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the data.Results: Data analysis resulted in ۱۰ main categories including “university education”, “obsession with the choice of their life’s partner”, “economic problems”, “single girls’ distrust of men”, “instrumental view of marriage”, “other alternatives to marriage”, “appearance”, “escaping from responsibility”, “excessive parental strictness”, and “increase in girls’ expectations of their suitors”.Conclusion: It is necessary to take steps to prevent the increase in the age of marriage among girls by applying appropriate interventions such as changing girls’ attitudes toward marriage, educating parents to facilitate their adult children’s marriage, providing welfare facilities, and employing young persons.

Singlehood, Girls, Marriage, Qualitative study, Conventional content analysis, Tehran