Mansour Fathi; Mohammad Taghi Karami Ghahi; Marzieh Pour Esmaeili
Volume 18, Issue 44 , September 2019, , Pages 279-298
Abstract
Considering the increasing trend of premarital sexual activity among girls in recent years, the current study is to understand in-depth girls’ experiences of premarital sexual relationships with the opposite sex and related consequences. This study utilized qualitative and phenomenological research ...
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Considering the increasing trend of premarital sexual activity among girls in recent years, the current study is to understand in-depth girls’ experiences of premarital sexual relationships with the opposite sex and related consequences. This study utilized qualitative and phenomenological research methodology. Due to the qualitative nature of the study, a targeted sampling method (snowball sampling) was used. This study took into account the theoretical saturation criterion and conducted interviews with 30 girls aged 18 – 31 years residing within the city of Tehran. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection, and data were analyzed using either textual or thematic methods. The results were ultimately categorized into 4 primary levels: problems and challenges within the relationship, problems and challenges outside the relationship, relationship as an opportunity for growth, and self-restraint. Based on the results of current study we can concluded that relationship with opposite sex can both have positive consequences included increased awareness towards oneself and towards others, and negative consequences included pessimism towards the opposite sex, fear of establishing relationships, development of physical problems, among others.