NAVIGATING GAMOPHOBIA: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF FEAR OF MARRIAGE AMONG PAKISTANI YOUNG ADULTS

Abstract

Fear of marriage, often known as gamophobia, has developed into a major psychological worry among young adults, particularly in collectivist cultures such as Pakistan. Despite the cultural importance of marriage, increasing socioeconomic hardships, shifting gender roles, and exposure to globalized ideas have all contributed to growing anxiety about marital commitment. Using reflexive theme analysis, this qualitative study investigated the lived experiences of Pakistani young adults aged 18-30 with marriage-related fear. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants (10 males and 10 females), and the data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2022) framework. Six major themes emerged: economic requirements and provider anxiety, vicarious relationship observation, loss of autonomy and domestic conflict, social investigation and reputational fear, relational reciprocity, and traditional marriage institutional decline and mistrust. The findings show that fear of marriage in Pakistan is primarily determined by socio-cultural limitations and economic instability, as opposed to Western environments, where individual autonomy is more important. This study emphasizes the necessity of culturally relevant strategies.