Attitudes Toward Consent Within Marriage Among Young Adult in Faisalabad

Abstract

Consent in marriage is a poorly researched psychological construct in South Asian societies where traditional cultural norms and gender role expectations still shape dynamics of marriage. The present study explores attitudes towards marital consent among young adults in Faisalabad. This study is quantitative and cross-sectional research design guided by Social Learning  Theory and Self-Determination Theory. A convenience sample of 150-200 participants aged 18-28 years who are either married or unmarried will be recruited from universities and community settings in Faisalabad. Data will be collected with a MRAS (10- items), a short-form GRBS and a Psychological Well-Being Scale. Demographic information will be used to obtain relevant background variables. 

This study is based on four hypotheses. Hypotheses include that females will have more supportive attitudes toward ongoing marital consent than males, and that higher educational attainment will be related to more egalitarian beliefs about consent. Data analysis will be conducted by using SPSS, descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, Pearson correlation and regression analysis.   This study fills an important gap in the existing literature as most of the psychological research on consent has been conducted in western contexts with little representation from Pakistani populations. The results are expected to our awareness campaigns for mutual respect, autonomy and healthy communication in marital relationships in Pakistan.