G-2199

Effectiveness of Premarital Education Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior on Attitudes Toward Marriage and Fertility Intentions among Female Students at Zahedan University of Medical Sciences (2023-2024)

 Zahra Khalilzadeh Farsangi ¹ ©, Samaneh Fallah Karimi ², Fatemeh Roostaii ¹ ℗, Leila Mohammadifard ³, Mahsa Y ⁴   

 
Abstract

Background and Objective: Attitudes toward marriage and fertility intentions are key factors in family formation and individuals’ psychological and social well-being. Considering cultural and social changes in Iranian society and the decline in marriage and fertility rates, identifying and implementing effective educational interventions in this area is of great importance. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of premarital education based on the Theory of Planned Behavior on attitudes toward marriage and fertility intentions among female students at Zahedan University of Medical Sciences during the 2023-2024 academic year. Methods: This semi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The population included single female students residing in dormitories at Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. A simple random sampling method was used to select 120 participants, who were equally assigned to intervention and control groups (60 each). Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of three sections: demographic information, attitudes toward marriage, and fertility intentions. The questionnaire was designed based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, and its validity and reliability were confirmed. The educational intervention was conducted for the intervention group in six 90-minute workshop sessions based on the constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior (attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention), while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected at two time points (pretest and posttest) and analyzed using independent t-tests and ANCOVA with SPSS version 26. Results: Findings indicated a significant increase in the mean scores of attitudes toward marriage and fertility intentions in the intervention group after the education (p0.05), whereas no significant changes were observed in the control group. ANCOVA results showed a significant difference between groups at posttest after controlling for pretest scores, demonstrating that the Theory of Planned Behavior-based education significantly improved attitudes toward marriage and increased fertility intentions in the intervention group (p0.05). Conclusion: Premarital education based on the Theory of Planned Behavior can be an effective intervention for promoting positive attitudes toward marriage and enhancing fertility intentions among female students. It is recommended that policymakers and reproductive health planners incorporate this approach into their educational programs targeting youth.

Keywords: Theory of Planned Behavior، student، Fertility intentions