Аннотация
The transformation in the marriage and reproductive behavior of young people has become one of the most significant demographic trends of recent decades. This raises questions about whether family policy adequately reflects the changing life strategies of younger generations. This study aims to identify the characteristics of marriage and family attitudes among contemporary Kazakhstani university students and examine how these attitudes are changing in the context of traditional cultural norms and ongoing processes of individualization. The study is based on a cross-sectional quantitative survey of 1,000 students aged 17–23 from four Kazakhstani universities. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, Pearson’s chi-square test, and Cramer’s V in order to assess the differences between the groups of respondents. The findings suggest that Kazakhstani university students continue to value formal marriage, parenthood, and family life, but associate these aspirations with economic stability, personal preparedness and partnership-based family relationships. Most respondents support joint decision-making and an equal division of family responsibilities, while maintaining the expectation that men should bear greater financial responsibility for the family. Partner choice is characterized by a high level of acceptance of interethnic marriage, a declining importance of religious affiliation, and a strong preference for social compatibility between future spouses. Over 70 % of respondents consider economic uncertainty to be an important factor influencing decisions about family formation. The results suggest the emergence of a hybrid model of marriage and family attitudes, combining the enduring value of marriage, family, and parenthood with the changing conditions to achieve them. The study sheds light on individualization processes among contemporary Kazakhstani university students, demonstrating that these processes are not expressed through a rejection of family values, but rather through a transformation of the underlying mechanisms of decision-making regarding marriage and family formation. These findings could inform the development of policies for family and young people, with the aim of facilitating their transition to independent family life.