Exploration of underlying factors for single child intention and behavior in Tehran; a Qualitative Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Abstract

Below replacement fertility (<2.1 children) appeared since 2006 in Iran which has generated many concerns. Below replacement fertility represent some rise in single child fertility behavior. Accordingly, main question of this study is that “what is interpretation and understanding of men and women resided in Tehran on rationales and motivations of having one child”. In addition, “what underlying factors are responsible for such decision?” To answer this question a number of 14 semi- structured in depth interviews were conducted with men and women who are about to marry, and those who were married with no children, married people who had one child younger than 5 years of age and those who were at the end of their reproductive age and had single child and resided in Tehran. Theoretical underpinning of the questions derived from the Theory of Planned Behavior, Second demographic Transition, and Social Cognitive Theory. In depth interviews were coded openly using conventional content analysis. Then, based on manifest common meaning and constant comparison method, open codes were categorized into main categories and subcategories. Results showed that decision to have one child is in fact “a strategy for making a balance between all circumstances at the individual, conjugal, family and environmental levels”. This decision is the outcome of an interaction between “sum of attitudes, feelings, and skills in favor of having single child”, “unsupportive domain of conjugal interaction for childbearing”, “unsupportive domain of extended family for childbearing”, and finally “unsupportive domain of society for childbearing”. Hence, in line with pronatalist policies, complexity of such decision and behavior is necessary to be considered. According to these findings, pronatalist Interventions should consider enhancement of occupational security for employed women, promotion of quality of childcare facilities, changing the norms of ideal number of children, enhancement of sense of social and economic security in the family and enhancement of family relationship.

Keywords

References

  • ×   خلج­آبادی فراهانی، فریده و حسن سرایی. «قصد تک­فرزندی و تعیین کننده­های آن در زنان و مردان دارای یک فرزند کمتر از 5 سال، ساکن تهران»، نامه انجمن جمعیت­شناسی ایران، سال 7، ش13، (1391).

    ×   رازقی نصرآباد، حجیه بی­بی و محمد میرزایی. «شکاف بین شمار فرزندان موجود و ایده­آل در استان­های منتخب سمنان، کهکیلویه و بویر احمد و هرمزگان»، نامه انجمن جمعیت­شناسی ایران، سال 7، ش13، (1391).  

    ×   رضوی زاده، ندا، الهه غفوریان و آمنه اخلاقی. «زمینه­های کم­فرزندطلبی و تأخیر در فرزندآوری، مورد مطالعه: شهر مشهد»، راهبرد فرهنگ، ش31، (1394). 

    ×   عباسی شوازی، محمد جلال  و میمنت حسینی چاوشی 1392. تحولات باروری در ایران در چهار دهه اخیر، کاربرد و ارزیابی روش فرزندان خود در برآورد باروری با استفاده از داده های سرشماری 1365، 1375، 1385، و 1390، تهران، پژوهشکده آمار ایران، مرکز ملی آمار.

    ×   عباسی شوازی، محمد جلال، پیتر مک دونالد، میمنت حسینی چاووشی  و زینت کاوه فیروز. «بررسی دیدگاه زنان در مورد رفتار باروری در استان یزد با استفاده از روش­های کیفی»، نامه علوم اجتماعی، ش10 (پیاپی 20)، (1381).

    ×   عباسی‌شوازی، محمدجلال و عباس عسکری‌ندوشن. «تغییرات خانواده و کاهش باروری در ایران، مطالعه موردی استان یزد»،  نامه علوم اجتماعی، ش 25، (1384).

    ×   عسکری ندوشن، عباس، محمد جلال عباسی شوازی و رسول صادقی. «مادران، دختران و ازدواج (تفاوت نسلی در ایده­ها و نگرش­های ازدواج در شهر یزد)»، مطالعات راهبردی زنان، ش11(4)، (1388).

    ×   محمودیان، حسین، احمد محمدپور و مهدی رضایی. «زمینه­های کم­فرزندی در استان کردستان: مطالعه موردی شهر سقز»، نامه انجمن جمعیت­شناسی ایران، ص4 (8)، (1388).

    • Ø Abbasi Shavazi M.J., P. McDonald, & M. Hosseini Chavoshi. "Changes in family, fertility behavior and attitudes in Iran". Working paper in Demography:88, Canbera:ANU, (2003).
    • Ø Abbasi Shavazi M.J., S.Ph. Morgan, M. Hosseini Chavoshi, P. McDonald, "Family change and continuity in Iran: Birth control use before first pregnancy, J Marriage Fam". 71(5), (2009).
    • Ø Abbasi-Shavazi M. J. 2001. Below Replacement-Level Fertility in Iran: Progress and Prospects, Paper prepared for the IUSSP Seminar on: international perspectives on low fertility: Trends, theories and policies, Tokyo (Japan).
    • Ø Abbasi-Shavazi, M.J.; P. Mc Donald; M. Hosseini-Chavoshi, 2009. A Cohort Perspective on Changes in Family, Fertility Behavior and Attitudes, in The Fertility Transition in Iran, Revolution and Reproduction. Springer, London, New York.
    • Ø Ajzen, I., & M. Fishbein 1980. Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior. Englewood-Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
    • Ø Basu AM., Desai S.B., 2013. Middle Class Dreams: India’s One –Child Families, 17th IUSSP International  Population Conference , Busan, Republic of Korea.
    • Ø Day, I. 1993. Qualitative data analysis, London,  Routledge.
    • Ø Firestone,W. A. "Meaning in method: the rhetoric of qualitative and quantitative research". Educational Research, 16(7), (1987).
    • Ø Hosseini, H., Erfani A., Bagi B., "The level and correlates of unmet need for contraception among Kurdish women in Mahabad, Iran: an application of the revised definition of unmet need", European population Conference, (June 2014), Budapest, Hungary.
    • Ø Hsiu-Fang Hsieh, Sara E. Shanon 2016. Three approches to qualitative content analysisو QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH, Vol. 15 No. 9, November 2005 1277-1288 DOI: 10.1177/1049732305276687
    • Ø Jaffe,A.J.,and K.Azumi. "The Birth Rate and Cottage Industries in Underdeveloped Countries". Economic Development and Cultural Change,9 (1) (1960).
    • Ø Khalajabadi Farahani, F., A. Erfani, 2014. Low fertility intention among prospective brides in Tehran; Career or Educational Aspirtaion, presented in PAA Annual Meeting, (May 2014).
    • Ø Khalajabadi Farahani,F.,  Kazemipour Sabet, Sh. 2011. Trends and correlates of one child families in Iran; Implications for population policies, presented in The UCL-Leverhulme Trust Population Footprints Symposium, UCL, London.
    • Ø Lincoln, Y.S. & Guba, E.G. 1985 Naturalistic inquiry. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
    • Ø Lesthaeghe,Ron; & Johan Surkyn. "Cultural Dynamics and Economic Theories of Fertility Change Population and Development Review"14(1) (1986).
    • Ø Lloyd, Cynthia. "The contribution of the World Fertility Surveys to an understanding of the relationship between women's work and fertility". Studies in FamilyPlanning22(3), (1991).
    • Ø Mason,KarenO., & V.T. Palan. "Female Employment and Fertility in Peninsular Malaysia: The Maternal Role Incompatibility Hypothesis Reconsidered" .Demography,18(4),(1981).
    • Ø McDonald,P."Gender Equity in Theories of Fertility Transition" .Population and Development Review 26(3), (2000).
    • Ø Mynarska, M. "Fertility Choices in Poland: Quality, Quantity and Individualization, Max Plank Institute for Demographic Research". Population and Development Review35(4) , (2008).
    • Ø Presser,Harriet. "Comment: A Gender Perspective for Understanding Low Fertility in Post-TransitionalSocieties".Population and Development Review 27, (2001).

    Ø Merriam B. Sh 2009. Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation. John Wiley & Sons.

    Razeghi Nasrabad H.B., M.J. Abbasi Shavazi, M. Hosseini Chavoshi, et al, (2013), “Level, Trend and Pattern of childlessness in Iran”, 17th IUSSP International Population Conference, 26-31 August 2013, Busan, Republic of Korea.

    • Ø Seale, C. 1999. the quality of qualitative Research , London, Sage.
    • Ø Van de Kaa, D. J. “Postmodern Fertility Preference: From Changing Value Orientation to New Behavior”. Population and Development Review, 27, (2001).
    • Ø Van de Kaa, D.J. “Options and Sequences: Europe’s Demographic Patterns”, Journal of Australian Population Association, 14(1), (1997).
Women's Strategic Studies
Volume 18, Issue 71
January 2016
Pages 29-58

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics