A comparative study of marital horizons between college students and workers
Abstract
Marriage is an important developmental task during emerging adulthood. However, individuals may differ in how they perceive marriage; this may depend on their life stage and social role, particularly between college students and working adults. This study aimed to examine differences in marital horizons in terms of employment status. A total of 499 adults aged 18–29 years, consisting of college students and working adults, participated in this study through convenience sampling. A quantitative comparative design was employed, and data were collected using the Criteria Marriage Readiness Questionnaire (CMRQ). The results indicated significant differences in marital horizons between the two groups. College students tended to view marriage as a long-term goal that could be postponed until various aspects of readiness were fulfilled, whereas working adults perceived marriage as a more immediate and realistic commitment. Despite these differences, both groups demonstrated similar views regarding essential qualities for marriage, including commitment, responsibility, emotional maturity, communication skills, and interpersonal competence. These findings suggest that marital horizons are influenced not only by chronological age but also by individuals’ developmental transitions and engagement in adult responsibilities. Overall, marriage is perceived not only as a marker of adulthood but also as a long-term commitment that requires multidimensional readiness.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Andriyani, F., & Novianti, L. E. (2022). Marital Horizon: Studi Komparatif pada Dewasa Awal dengan Orang Tua Bercerai dan Utuh. Psympathic : Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi, 8(2), 247–260. https://doi.org/10.15575/psy.v8i2.5819.
Arieza, U. (2024, 19 Maret). Generasi Muda Tunda Menikah, Pernikahan Tak Lagi Prioritas? Kompas.com. https://lifestyle.kompas.com/read/2024/03/19/174000420/generasi-muda-tunda-menikah-pernikahan-tak-lagi-prioritas-
Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55(5), 469–480. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.5.469
Asih, G. Y., Widhiastuti, H., & Dewi, R. (2018). Stres kerja. Semarang University Press. Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Bandung. (2024, November 13). Angka pernikahan di Indonesia menurun dalam 10 tahun terakhir. https://bandungkab.bps.go.id/id/news/2024/11/13/143/angka-pernikahan-di-indonesia-menurun-dalam-10-tahun-terakhir.html
Carroll, J. S., Badger, S., Willoughby, B. J., Nelson, L. J., Madsen, S. D., & McNamara Barry, C. (2009). Ready or not?: Criteria for marriage readiness among emerging adults. Journal of Adolescent Research, 24(3), 349–375. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743558409334253.
Carroll, J. S., Willoughby, B., Badger, S., Nelson, L. J., McNamara Barry, C., & Madsen, S. D. (2007). So close, yet so far away: The impact of varying marital horizons on emerging adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Research, 22(3), 219-247.
Duvall, E. M. (2002). Evelyn Duvall's life. Marriage & family review, 32(1-2), 7-23.
Firdaus, N. A. K., & Rahmasari, D. (2025). Hubungan ambisi karir dengan keputusan menunda pernikahan pada Generasi Z. Character: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi, 12(2), 847–858. https://doi.org/10.26740/cjpp.847-858.
Fowers, B. J., & Olson, D. H. (1993). ENRICH marital satisfaction scale: A brief research and clinical tool. Journal of Family Psychology, 7(2), 176–185.
Gawande, S., & Lateef, S. P. (2024). A study of perspectives on marriage among college students with reference to gender, family, and their category. Education and Society, 48(1), 60–67.
Gowasa, H. (2025). Pengaruh Media Sosial Terhadap Gaya Pengasuhan Millenial Parent. KOHESI: Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia, 5(2), 89-104.
Hamzah, R. M. (2025). Marriage Readiness Education Among University Students: Analysis of Self-Preparation for Marriage and Family Life. Educatione, 280–286. https://doi.org/10.59397/edu.v3i2.96.
Herawati, I., Yendra, D., & Amita, N. (2025). Kesiapan Menikah pada Generasi Z: Marital Attitudes dan Kematangan Emosi. Al-Hikmah: Jurnal Agama Dan Ilmu Pengetahuan, 22(2), 476–487. https://doi.org/10.25299/ajaip.2025.vol22(2).21842.
Kim, K. (2017). The changing role of employment status in marriage formation among young Korean adults. Demographic Research, 36(1), 145–172. https://doi.org/10.4054/DemRes.2017.36.5.
Kuo, J. C. L., & Raley, R. K. (2016). Is it all about money? Work characteristics and women’s and men’s marriage formation in early adulthood. Journal of Family Issues, 37(8), 1046-1073.
Novianti, L. E., Purba, F. D., Noer, A. H., & Kendhawati, L. (2018). Pernikahan dalam perspektif masyarakat Bandung. Jurnal Psikogenesis, 6(1), 79-90.
Novianti, L. E., Purba, F. D., Puspitasari, S. V., Nadirah, A. A., Purba, I. N. B., Karremans, J. C., & Agustiani, H. (2025). The meaning of marriage, the meaning of family, and the function of family for Indonesian married people. BMC Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03670-4.
Ramadani, A. C. (2024, March 13). Angka pernikahan alami penurunan, apa yang membuat generasi muda enggan menikah? Republika. https://ameera.republika.co.id/berita/saacnx370/angka-pernikahan-alami-penurunan-apa-yang-membuat-generasi-muda-enggan-menikah
Riska, H., & Khasanah, N. (2023). Faktor yang memengaruhi fenomena menunda pernikahan pada generasi Z. Indonesian Health Issue, 2(1), 48-53.
Riswandi, R., Surahman, C., & Nugraha, R. H. (2025). Analisis Perspektif Mahasiswa Muslim Gen-Z terhadap Isu Marriage Is Scary. Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Pembelajaran Indonesia (JPPI), 5(1), 10-25.
Robinson, O. C., Petrov, N., Vleioras, G., Çok, F., Özdoğan, H. K., Yeler, Z., ... & Fisher, A. (2025). Quarter-life Crisis Episodes in Emerging Adulthood: a mixed-methods analysis of data from eight countries. Emerging Adulthood, 13(6), 1491-1506.
Rosana, E., & Ediati, A. (2020). Hubungan antara sikap terhadap pernikahan dengan kepuasan pernikahan pada istri. Jurnal Empati, 7(2), 625-631.
Sofyan, M. R., Suyanto, S., & Hanjani, V. P. (2025). Menantang Patriarki dari Ruang Keluarga: Involved Father dalam Focal Point Gerakan AyahASI Indonesia. Rineka: Jurnal Antropologi, 1(1).
Sunarya, E. K. (2017). (2017). Gambaran marital horizon pada emergin adult di Bandung, Jawa Barat. Universitas Padjadjaran, Fakultas Psikologi.
Willoughby, B. J., Hall, S. S., & Luczak, H. P. (2015). Marital paradigms: A conceptual framework for marital attitudes, values, and beliefs. Journal of Family Issues, 36(2), 188-211.
Wiranti, W., Abadi, L. T., & bin Ab Rahman, Z. (2025). Gender Equality in the Household Life of Generation Z. Al-Rasῑkh: Jurnal Hukum Islam, 14(1), 112-127.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21107/personifikasi.v17i1.34381
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2026 PINASTHIKA KAUTSARI PRADIPTA
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Personifikasi by Universitas Trunojoyo Madura is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.