Psychological well-being and life satisfaction among female students of different marital status in Uzbekistan

Abstract

This study is devoted to the psychological wellbeing and life satisfaction of female students with different marital status in Uzbekistan. Modern society has been associated with changes in the family structure and an increasing number of single-parent families and divorces. Transformation of traditional ideas about family and marriage has led to a diversity of family statuses. At the same time, marriage often coincides with a woman’s study at a higher educational institution. One should take into account that changes in social status and the specifics of current family affairs can have different effects on female students’ educational motivation, academic performance, and emotional state. In their student years, married women may take an academic leave or face difficulties with their studies or social integration. In Uzbekistan, like in other countries, the status of a married woman is inextricably linked to increased family pressure, societal expectations, and self-realization problems. This makes the study of psychological well-being and life satisfaction among female students of different family status particularly relevant. Our research involved female students from various fields of study at higher education institutions in Tashkent. The sample consisted of women aged 19 to 27 ranging in marital status. The average age was 22, with 34 unmarried and 8 married students. We used C. Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale adapted by N. N. Lepeshinsky to determine the level of psychological well-being and N. N. Melnikova’s Life Satisfaction Questionnaire for life satisfaction. A comparative analysis discovered that the study groups differed most notably in self-acceptance characteristics. Thus, married female students in Uzbekistan have a higher level of self-acceptance compared to unmarried females. In addition, married students report higher life satisfaction, which may be due to marital relationship and overall stability. Our results may be instrumental in developing psychological support programs for female students ranging in family status to help them improve their psychological state, overcome family-induced psychological difficulties with their studies, and stand a higher chance of successful self-realization in the future.