Delayed marriage in Iran has evolved into a socio-demographic crisis that continues to exhibit an upward trend, despite the implementation of various incentive policies. The primary objective of the present study is to conduct a meta-analysis of the factors associated with delayed marriage among Iranians. This quantitative meta-analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) version 2 software. From an initial population of 88 documents, 39 scientific (survey-based) studies published between 2009 and 2025 were selected through purposive sampling based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria.
The results indicated that delayed marriage is significantly driven by four main dimensions: social factors (gender inequality, r = 0.41; social distrust, r = 0.38; and relative deprivation, r = 0.35); cultural factors (individualism, r = 0.46; changing attitudes toward marriage, r = 0.41; lifestyle changes, r = 0.40; and the culture of luxury/extravagance, r = 0.39); psychological factors (fear of marriage, r = 0.44; idealistic expectations, r = 0.42; and perfectionism, r = 0.35); and economic factors (inflation, r = 0.52; marriage costs, r = 0.49; unemployment, r = 0.45; and increased household expenses, r = 0.43).
Delayed marriage is a multidimensional phenomenon rooted in the simultaneous interaction of structural factors (economic and social) and individual agency (cultural and psychological). Policy recommendations in this area include financial facilitation, psychological counseling, communication skills training, and addressing gender inequalities.