The modern Slovak family: young people’s expectations versus reality as reflected in media and statistical data
The modern Slovak family: young people’s expectations versus reality as reflected in media and statistical data

Summary/Abstract: Our research indicates a clear need to attract the attention of society to the role a family plays in it. Systematisation of the special literature and approaches for solving the problem connected with the family indicates that it commonly has such roles as emotional and financial support, socialisation, education, caregiving, identity formation, social cohesion, reproduction, and continuity. Investigation of these roles in the study is carried out in the following logical sequence: using semantic and textual analysis we considered Slovak media output on the topic “family” and its keywords in 2020 and then compared it to the same period in 2024. It gave us the opportunity to confirm which of these roles are more frequently discussed in Slovak media and to prepare a questionnaire to be offered to young Slovaks. The questionnaire included items typical of any family: caregiving, financial support, family values, relations within a family and others. The main purpose of the research is to compare young Slovaks’ expectations about their future family with official statistical data concerning important items which influence family reproduction and continuity, namely birthrate, ability to pay mortgage, and emotional and financial support, amongst others. Finally, the research empirically confirms and statistically proves that there still exist some problems concerning families, and we hope that they will be successfully addressed by the Slovak authorities in the nearest future, making young people’s dreams come true.

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