Abstract

Never married women are the women who do not engage in marriage until they get older. This

qualitative study aimed to explore the psychosocial experiences and the coping strategies used by

women who do not get married by choice. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was used

to get an in-depth account of never-married women's experiences by using open-ended, semi-

structured interviews. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to select a volunteer sample

of 6 women aged 35-50 who were never married. The snowball sampling technique was used to

approach the sample. We identified five superordinate themes, 15 themes, and 53 subordinate

themes. Five superordinate themes include Perceived social support, challenges and

stigmatization, psychological stressors, needs and concerns of never married, and coping

strategies. The findings have implications for the development of support programs tailored to

the unique needs of single women. The research identifies systemic challenges faced by single

women; it may inform policy recommendations aimed at creating a supportive societal

environment. The research findings could serve as a basis for advocacy efforts aimed at

challenging discriminatory practices or promoting positive societal attitudes toward single

individuals

Keywords: Never married women, semi-structured interviews, interpretative phenomenological

analysis, coping strategies