Women and Attitude Changes Towards Maternal Roles in Iran Case Study: Mothers in Rasht City

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Sociology and Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.

2 Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

3 Department of Sociology and Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The emergence of value and attitudinal changes in the importance of women's social roles, along with the growth of individualism and their interest in personal ideals and interests, has turned the interferences that have occurred in the context of their institutionalized roles in the family and society into a social issue. The aim of the present study is to study the changes in women's attitudes towards maternal roles.
The research method is qualitative and of a qualitative type. The study population was women in Rasht and sampling was carried out purposefully. The sample size was obtained through theoretical saturation with 25 participants. The data collection tool was also a semi-structured interview, and the content analysis method was used to analyze the data.
The Study of mothers in Rasht has shown a change in their attitude towards their maternal roles in themes such as Compensatory Motherhood, Participatory Motherhood, Acquired-choice Motherhood, Network Motherhood, The Value of  Emotions and Feelings, Leisure Time, Self-perpetuation and Agency, Equal Spouse, Dual Work and Home, and Individualization and Differentiation.
The results show that the women studied have realized that their values are not something that can be achieved solely through traditional motherhood, but rather compensatory motherhood in order to reduce deprivations before and during marriage, participatory motherhood in order to divide family duties and care for children, network motherhood through alignment and participation with society and especially other women, and also the value of female feelings and emotions.

Keywords

References

  • Abbott, P. & Wallace, C (2019). Sociology of Women. Translated by Manijeh Najm-e-Araghi, Tehran: Ney. (In Persian)
  • Askari Nadushan, A. & Razeghi Nasrabad, H.B. (1402). Motherhood Experience and Childbearing Challenges of Working Women: A Qualitative Study in Tehran. Strategic Research on Social. 12(3), 42, 99-122. 10.22108/SRSPI.2023.138962.1934. (In Persian)
  • Azazi, S. (2019). Collection of semi-hidden articles on motherhood. Tehran: Agah. (In Persian)
  • Bagheri-Miyab, Shahla; Rabiei, Marjan; Akbari, Elham; Ghasemi, Asmeh (2019). Study of the process of women's identification in social networks (case study: women using Instagram). Social Studies and Research in Iran, 10(4), 1029-1059. 10.22059/jisr.2021.321681.1200. (In Persian)
  • Barati, T., Kanaani, M.A. & Ebadollahi Chandanagh, H. (2011). Cultural Capital and Fertility: A Study Among Married Women Aged 15-49 in Rasht, Journal of the Iranian Demographic Association, 16(31), 159-191. 10.22034/JPAI.2022.547323.1216 (In Persian)
  • Darahaki, A & Akhavan-Eramaki, M. (2013). Attitudes towards maternal identity and childbearing intentions: A study among women with at least one child in urban areas of Kashan city. Women in Development and Politics, 4(1), 79-103. https://doi.org/10.22059/jwdp.2023.358149.1008335 (In Persian)
  • Dastoum, S., Rahmati, M.M. Ramezani Nejad, R. & Reyhani, M. (2014). Study of style and consumption pattern in family sports leisure in and outside the city (Rasht). Studies on the basics of management in sports, 1(3), 72-92. (In Persian)
  • De Beauvoir, S. (1953). The second sex. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
  • Entezari, A. & Afzali, M. (2019). Motherhood: Types, Meanings and Motives. Gender and Family Studies. Issue 1. 20.1001.1.25381938.1399.8.1.2.7 (In Persian)
  • Hamidifar, M., Kanani, M.A. & Ebadollahi, H. (2017). The View of Intentional Childless People on Childbearing: A Study in Rasht. Cultural Sociology, 8(3), 27-54. (In Persian)
  • Hassani, M.R. & Mohammadzadeh, F. (2013). Compassionate Motherhood; Lived Experience of Women Heads of Households from Motherhood, Scientific Research Journals of Sociology of Social Institution 10(22), 249-215. 10.22080/SSI.2023.26192.2138. (In Persian)
  • Kanani, M.A. & Bakhshi, S. (2014). The spread of individualism and the problem of low fertility: A study in the city of Rasht. Letter of the Iranian Demographic Association, 9, (18), 7-30..(In Persian)
  • Karamzadeh Tolaroud, M., Rahmati, M.M. & Ghasemi, Z. (2014). The relationship between lifestyle and attitude towards the maternal role in the city of Rasht. Woman and Society, 15(1), 53-68. 10.30495/jzvj.2024.29418.3929. (In Persian)
  • Kardavani, R., Taj Mazinani, A.A., Mirkhani E.S. & Sajjadi, S.M. (2016). A Study of Employment Policy Strategies in the Field of Motherhood in the Islamic Republic. Strategic Studies of Women, 18, 72. 20.1001.1.20082827.1395.18.0.2.4. (In Persian)
  • Khademi, M., A'alami, Z. & Moradi, A. (2013). Lived Experience of Religiously Educated Mothers from Social Activism. Culture Strategy, Issue 61. 10.22034/JSFC.2022.286742.2263. (In Persian)
  • Loren,H. Weineland, S. Rembeck, g (2024) facing a new life- the healthy transition to motherhood: what individual and environmental factors are needed? A phenomenological- hermeneutic study, idwifery, 130 (34). 1016/j.midw.2024.103917
  • Mostofi Sarki, A., Qamari, M. & Hosseinian, S. (2019). Comparing the effectiveness of psychological training based on the McMaster and Elson model in family cohesion of female teachers. Culture of Counseling and Psychotherapy, Year 10, Issue 37, pp. 99 - 120. (In Persian)
  • Nel, R; Naude, L & Piotroweski, K (2024). Motherhood, role conflict, and identity: South African mothers’ experiences amid a pandemic. Journal of Family Studies. 30 (4). https://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2024.2308197
  • Prikhidko, alena; swank, Jacqueline (2018). Motherhood experience and expectations: a qualitative exploration of mothers of toddlers. The family journal, 26 (3). https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480718795116
  • Roshani, S. & Zarean, M. (2013). Characteristics of good mothers: A study with a qualitative approach. Lifestyle, 16(9), 115-142. (In Persian)
  • Sadeghi, R. & Shahabi, Z. (1396). Qualitative study of obstacles and challenges of motherhood of working women in Tehran. Social Studies and Research in Iran. 6(4), 715-734. 10.22059/jisr.2018.204488.343. (In Persian)
  • Safiri, K. & Zandi, F. (1400). Phenomenology of the lived experience of motherhood (case study of mothers aged 20 to 45 in Arak city). Sociology of Social Institutions, 8,18, 37-62. 10.22080/SSI.2021.22426.1930. (In Persian)
  • Segalen, M. (1380). Historical Sociology of the Family, translated by Hamid Eliasi, Tehran: Markaz Publishing. (In Persian)
  • Torabi, F. & Ranjbari, S. (2011). The Effect of Childbearing on the Duration of Marriage in Iran. Social Studies and Research in Iran. 12(4), 553-572. 10.22059/jisr.2023.355720.1384. (In Persian)
  • Williamson, T., Wagstaff, D. L., Goodwin, J., & Smith, N. (2022). Mothering ideology: A qualitative exploration of mothers’ perceptions of navigating motherhood pressures and partner relationships. Sex Roles, 88(1–2): 101–117.  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-022-01345-7
  • Yaghoubi-Choubri, A., Kanani, M.A & Yahya-Pour, R. (2019). Investigating the relationship between lifestyle and tendency towards consensual divorce among the citizens of Rasht. Sociology of Social Institutions, 6(14), 121-148. 10.25077/jom.6.1.74-83.2021. (In Persian)
  • Yulizawati, Maputra,M & Enosentris, I (2021). Transition of Roles Change of Motherhood in Women. Journal of Midwifery, 6 (1): 74-83. 25077/jom.6.1.74-83.2021

 

Social Studies and Research in Iran
Volume 14, Issue 3 - Serial Number 56
September 2025
Pages 533-551

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics