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Development and Validation of a Multidimensional Non-Marriage Orientation Scale

  • THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
  • 2026, 39(2), pp.95~117
  • DOI : 10.35574/KJDP.2026.6.39.2.95
  • Publisher : The Korean Society For Developmental Psychology
  • Research Area : Social Science > Psychological Science
  • Received : April 23, 2026
  • Accepted : June 8, 2026
  • Published : June 15, 2026

Jiwoo Lee 1 Sujin Yang ORD ID 1

1이화여자대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Marriage has long been considered a core developmental task of adulthood; however, in Korean society, it is increasingly being reframed as a lifestyle choice among the many trends known as bihon (non-marriage orientation). Despite its multidimensional nature, no validated instrument has been developed to assess this construct. This study developed and validated a multidimensional Non-Marriage Orientation Scale using two independent adult samples (ages 25-40 years; N = 1,000). The questionnaire items were generated through a literature review and focus group interviews (FGIs). The EFA (Study 1) and CFA (Study 2) yielded a 24-item, five-factor structure comprising Non-Marital Orientation, Marriage as a Choice, Non-Marital Fulfillment, Openness to Non-Marital Relationship, and Critical View of Marriage. The scale demonstrated satisfactory reliability and convergent, discriminant, criterion-related, and incremental validity in predicting marriage intentions. MIMIC modeling further indicated that women scored significantly higher on non-marriage orientation than did men. This scale is expected to advance empirical research and policy discourse on the evolving family formation patterns in the contemporary Korean society.

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