The main criteria for mate selection: The nursing students' perspective in the south‐west of Iran during 2020–2021: A cross‐sectional study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Marriage has been a functional and moral relationship between men and women, which leads to the creation of a family and also can result in the birth of a child. This study aimed at determining the mate‐selection criteria of nursing students. METHODS: 298 nursing students were considered in this cross‐sectional, descriptive‐analytical study. The study data were collected using a researcher‐made questionnaire with confirmed validity and reliability. RESULTS: The male and female undergraduate students' mean age was 20–37 and 20–30 years, and male and female graduate students were aged 22–33 and 23–39 years, respectively. From the girls' perspective, 24 out of the 46 criteria were essential for mate selection. From the boys' perspective, 17 criteria were important and five were very low important. The results revealed a significant difference between both genders regarding the importance of 29 criteria. Boys believed that having housekeeping skills, coming from similar cities, and having physical attractiveness were of utmost importance. CONCLUSION: Girls paid more attention to psychological and economic criteria in comparison with men. For girls, the husband's nobility and ability to manage the family and for men being a housewife were more important. Despite the differences in some points of view between both genders about considering the criteria for choosing a future spouse, according to all participants, it was important for the participants to include psychological, cultural, familial, and social criteria for choosing a mate selection. It is recommended that, before marriage, the youth should consider the above‐mentioned criteria to choose their future spouse. In addition, as much as possible, boys should have a decent job and an independent income before marriage.