<![CDATA[The decline in marriage rates and the growing prevalence of waithood among young adults reflect changing perceptions of marriage under increasing urban economic pressures. This study examined the relationships among financial stress, religiosity, and fear of marriage, with particular attention to the potential moderating role of religiosity. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design, data were collected through purposive sampling from 300 unmarried young adults aged 21–35 years residing in West Java and DKI Jakarta. The proposed model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that financial stress was positively associated with fear of marriage (β = .129, p = .021) and negatively associated with religiosity (β = −.146, p = .012). Religiosity was also negatively associated with fear of marriage (β = −.149, p = .003), indicating that individuals with higher religiosity tended to report lower levels of fear regarding marriage. However, religiosity did not significantly moderate the relationship between financial stress and fear of marriage (p = .389). These findings suggest that religiosity functions as an independent protective factor rather than as a buffer against the effects of financial stress. Premarital interventions should therefore integrate religious or values-based counselling with financial literacy and economic preparedness to strengthen young adults’ readiness for marriage.]]>
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