The Role of Extended Family Structure on Divorce, Fertility, and Marriage Trends in Turkey

Background The family is a fundamental institution that meets individuals' emotional, economic, and social needs and transmits social values and roles. The impact of changes in family structure on fertility, marriage, and divorce behaviours in Turkey has been studied to a limited extent. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the proportion of households consisting of extended families and demographic indicators. Methods An ecological comparative research design was used. The 2024 rates of households consisting of extended families by province in Turkey, total fertility rate (TFR), crude marriage rate (CMR), crude divorce rate (CDR), and average age at first marriage (male and female) were obtained from Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) data. The 10 provinces with the highest extended family rates and the 10 provinces with the lowest rates were compared. Differences between groups were examined using the Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U test, and relationship analyses were performed using Pearson and Spearman correlations. Results In provinces with a high extended family rate, the TFR was significantly higher (1.81 ± 0.47 vs. 1.31 ± 0.14; p < 0.001), while the CDR was lower (1.29 ± 0.73 vs. 2.32 ± 0.62; p = 0.005). No significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of CMR (p = 0.762). The average age at first marriage for men and women was slightly lower depending on the extended family rate, but the correlations were insignificant. A positive correlation was found between extended family size and TFR (r = 0.596; p = 0.006), and a negative correlation was found with CDR (r = -0.626; p = 0.003). Conclusions Extended family structures are important factors, particularly affecting fertility and divorce behavior. The findings emphasize the importance of family based social support mechanisms and policies in terms of population dynamics and public health.