2025/08/19 by Samantha Erika N. Mendez · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving #Family Dynamics and Relationships #Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences
paper · doi:10.1111/pere.70022
openalex publication_date 2025/08/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/16
ABSTRACT Despite the global rise in singlehood, the expectation to marry persists, particularly in cultures that promote the ideology of marriage and family and among people who remain single beyond what is thought to be their prime marrying years, such as middle‐aged single women. This study explores how single, heterosexual, middle‐aged Filipino women experienced and made sense of their singlehood in the predominantly Catholic, collectivist, and pronatalist context of the Philippines. Data were collected from seven women aged 41–58. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the following group experiential themes were extracted: (1) reclaiming the spinster narrative, (2) being alone but not lonely, (3) evolving views of singlehood over time, and (4) coming to terms with singlehood. These findings shed light on the Filipino experience and could potentially guide future research on the topic. They could also inform professionals, single women themselves, and society with recommendations to create supportive and inclusive spaces for single women to develop and thrive in.