Iranian Parents Research Articles

Concerns and educational needs of Iranian parents regarding the sexual health of their male adolescents: a qualitative study

BackgroundParents play an important role in promoting the sexual health of their adolescents. However, many parents experience several challenges. The purpose of this study was to explore the concerns and educational needs of Iranian parents regarding the sexual health of their male adolescents.MethodsThis qualitative study was designed based on the conventional content analysis approach. Semi-structured and in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 parents of male adolescents aged 12–18 years. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were collected through purposeful sampling and continued until data saturation. Finally, the Graneheim and Landman strategies were used to analyze data.ResultsAccording to the participants’ comments, four main categories were extracted as follows: fear of emotional and sexual harms, quality of parent-child relationships, effect of media and cyberspace, and necessity of sexuality health education.ConclusionsThe findings highlighted the need for sexuality health education through cooperation with schools for offering appropriate education to the students, parents, and school staffs.The results showed that parents required training to enhance their knowledge and skills to improve their communication with their adolescents about sexuality issues. Therefore, it is necessary to design, implement, and evaluate culture-appropriate educational programs to address the parents’ concerns regarding adolescents’ sexual health.

Parental Beliefs and Feelings about Autism Spectrum Disorder in Iran.

Background: This study provides information on beliefs that parents of children with autism hold in Iran. The main focus is on their beliefs about the cause and the way that this condition is explained based on the first signs that made them be concerned for their children. Method: To attain the aims of this study, 43 parents of children with ASD (27 mothers and 16 fathers) were recruited and interviewed in two sessions in their home. A mixed method approach was used to understand Iranian parents’ reaction to receive diagnosis for their children. Results: Based on findings for the identification, description, and treatment of ASD in Iran, it is argued that since Iranian parents had their special justification regarding their experience with ASD, early child development and interventions must be understood within cultural context. Culturally informed research on ASD is vital to boost awareness of the importance of understanding parental concerns and their need for educational and psychological services in countries in which autism is less known, undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or even stigmatized. Understanding the difference in ASD meaning across cultures urges stakeholders such as service providers and policymakers to accept and appreciate cultural and individual diversities in the present century.

Power of Religious Beliefs and Coping with Cancer: Opinions of Iranian Parents.

Childhood cancer as a stressful event has many consequences for both the parents and their children. The aim of the study was to assess the coping strategies used by Iranian parents of children with cancer. The present study was conducted through convenience sampling with the participation of 205 parents with at least one child with cancer referred to the oncology ward, in the southeast of Iran. The Coping Health Inventory for Parents was used to measure parental coping strategies. Results showed that the highest and the lowest mean coping score belonged to the dimensions of social support and medical factors, respectively. Briefly, "Belief in God" and "Gratefulness for his Blessings" were the most helpful coping strategies among parents. Based on results of this study, it seems necessary for nurses to be aware of all aspects of human existence, including religion and spirituality as strong sources of power for parents to adapt with the illness of their child. Also, providing interventions to teach effective coping skills to parents may reduce their distress and improve their quality of life.

Heritage language policies of the Iranian diaspora in New Zealand

ABSTRACT The present study investigates immigrant parents’ family language policies in regards to their children’s heritage language development and maintenance by utilizing Spolsky’s theoretical model on which research on family language policy (FLP) considerably draw. Following the three core components of the FLP model, Iranian parents’ beliefs, practices and efforts in relation to their children’s home language (i.e. Persian/Farsi) acquisition and maintenance are investigated. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with twenty-five parents of Persian-English bilinguals (6–18 year old) in New Zealand. The findings reveal that although the parents hold positive beliefs towards the family language acquisition and maintenance, there are discrepancies between their language ideologies and family language practices. In light of these inconsistencies between parents’ beliefs and their actual family language practices and efforts to preserve the heritage language, we argue that to raise their children bilingually, immigrant parents should not only have strong beliefs towards family language acquisition and maintenance, but also their everyday practices and efforts should be in line with their beliefs.

Psychometric properties of fertility desire scale (FDS) developed for Iranian parents

BackgroundFertility choice is a critical women’s right. Although researchers have studied the positive effects of fertility desire, its different components have, unfortunately, been neither established nor implemented for parents. A reliable and valid scale is required to measure this vital aspiration of a couple. This study aims to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Fertility Desire Scale (FDS), which is designed to assess fertility desire among Iranian parents.MethodsA multi-phase instrument developmental approach was used to develop this scale in 2017. The items for the questionnaire were generated using three approaches: a qualitative study, an interview with an expert panel, and a comprehensive literature review. To provide a draft form of the questionnaire, we performed face and content validity analyses. The questionnaire validation was conducted on a sample of married women and men, recruited from public places affiliated with the Mazandaran province. Finally, measurement and analyses of exploratory and confirmatory factors, internal consistency reliability, item-scale correlation, and test-retest reliability of the questionnaire were performed to complete the validation process.ResultsThirty-five items were initially developed on the basis of the interviews with the expert panel and the literature review. The questionnaire was subsequently reduced to include 27 items after performing the content and face validity testing. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified four factors (positive childbearing motivations, preferences, childbearing worries, and social beliefs) comprising 19 items that jointly accounted for 55.44% of the observed variance. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) also revealed the suitable model fit for the data. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the subscales ranged from .83 to .86, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) ranged from .88 to .92; these coefficients are well above the acceptable thresholds.ConclusionResults from this validation study demonstrated that the FDS is a valid and reliable questionnaire for measuring fertility desire that can be used in clinical practice, as well as in similar future studies.

Experiencing Anti-Immigrant Policies on Both Sides of the U.S./Mexico Borderland: A Comparative Study of Mexican and Iranian Families

The experiences of Mexican and Iranian immigrant families are often unheard and unpacked. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine how race, ethnicity, and national identity are at the core of the sociopolitical and economic issues that Latino and Iranian families undergo in the United States. Using critical race theory as a framework, this research analyzed the ways in which Mexican immigrant families who were deported, and Iranian-immigrant families living in the United States, have been differently affected by post 9/11 anti-immigrant policies and by zero tolerance policies enacted by the Trump administration. The research question guiding this study was: How do U.S. anti-immigrant policies affect Iranian and Mexican immigrant families and their children’s futures? Our findings uncovered that both groups were negatively affected, however, in different ways. Iranian immigrant parents worried about their socioeconomic status in the United States and their children’s future. They also feared that their relatives might not be able to visit them due to the U.S. Muslim Travel Ban placed on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran. On the other hand, Mexican immigrants who lived in the United States undocumented were deported to Mexico. However, after deportation, and responding to the threat of the Trump administration to deport millions more, the Mexican government provided dual citizenship to U.S.-born children of Mexican returnees to facilitate their access to government services, including education. All people and place names are pseudonyms.

Development and Validation of Parent Abuse Scale (Girl-Mother Version)

Background: Iranian parents consider themselves responsible for the behavior and actions of their children and think that the mistreatment of children is a sign of their defect and impropriety. Objectives: The main purpose of this research was to develop and validate the parent abuse scale (girl-mother version), including construct validity, convergent validity, and internal consistency. Methods: The study population was all students’ mothers from high school and their adolescent daughters. Two samples were used in this study. In the first sample, 409 people were selected for exploratory factor analysis and in the second stage, a random sample of 188 mothers was selected as a multi-stage cluster sampling for confirmatory factor analysis. Mothers and their daughters have completed parent abuse questionnaire (girl-mother) and attitude scale of the child toward mother, respectively. Results: The results of the exploratory factor analysis showed that this scale consisted of both physical and emotional parent abuse scale factors. The confirmatory factor analysis results confirmed the two-factor structure of this scale. Convergent validity of parent abuse scale was calculated by correlating it with child attitude scale toward her mother. The correlation coefficient of mean in subjects in parent abuse scale was significant with child attitude toward her mother scale. The internal consistency of the parent-mother scale and its factors were calculated according to Cronbach’s alpha coefficients and confirmed with the correlation coefficients of 0.93 and 0.75. Conclusions: According to the results, the parent abuse scale had sufficient validity and reliability in Iranian samples.

Assessing Iranians' parental competence: Development and psychometric properties of the Children's Sexual Behavior Questionnaire (CSBQ-IR), Iranian Version.

Background: Parents are the first line mediators in sexuality development of children. However, the majority of parents tend to have close supervision on children sexual behaviors, particularly in the conservative cultures. This article describes the development and psychometric evaluation of an instrument to measure Iranian parents’ competence in caring and nurturing their children sexually. Methods: The questionnaire was designed based on the principles in measurement, Waltz’stheory. The Iranian version of Children’s Sexual Behavior Questionnaire (CSBQ-IR) was developed and completed by 386 mothers and 101 fathers who participated in a community based sexuality education program in Tehran, capital of Iran. Reliability was assessed by Kuder-Richardson reliability coefficient and Split half. CSBQ-IR was evaluated for its construct, inclusiveness and content validity by principal component analysis. Results: The Kuder-Richardson reliability coefficient and Split half reliability were found 0.425 and 0.457 that was on acceptable range. Meaning, grammar, wording and item allocation of the questionnaire were found to be appropriate with (content validity ratio [CVR]=0.99) and(content validity index [CVI]=0.8) respectively. Conclusion: CSBQ-IR provides a valid assessment of the parents’ competency or incompetency in nurturing, communication, and managing their children’s sexual behaviors.

A Qualitative Study of Iranian Parents' Experiences of Interacting With Their Adolescent Children.

Introduction: Transition from childhood to adulthood is an important and challenging period for both adolescents and their parents, particularly in societies undergoing development and change. In Iran, cultural and social change is inextricably linked to, and strongly impacts on, family units. Aim: To explore the experiences of parents and the strategies they use in interacting with their adolescent children. Method: Qualitative descriptive research using in-depth interviews was conducted with 23 parents of adolescents in Iran. Transcribed data were subjected to thematic analysis. Results: Parents used two key approaches to effectively interact with their adolescent children. The first, "transformed parenting" involved the parents changing their parenting style and practices. The second approach, "child orientation" involved the parents trying to control, educate, and guide their child. Implication for transcultural practice: Understanding how parents experience interactions with adolescents in the context of Iranian culture and increasing modernity will guide nurses to foster effective parenting strategies for optimal adolescent development.

Beliefs About Religious and Scientific Entities Among Parents and Children in Iran

Previous research has shown that children and adults express more confidence in the existence of unobservable scientific (e.g., germs), as compared to religious, phenomena (e.g., the soul). We asked if the same pattern would emerge among parents (N = 77) and children (N = 85) in Iran, a country with widespread commitment to religious values and beliefs. Parents expressed confidence in the existence of various scientific and religious phenomena but were more confident that scientific phenomena exist. Moreover, even though Iranian parents expressed a high valuation of both science and religion, their valuation of science was higher than that of religion. Like their parents, older children also expressed greater confidence in the existence of scientific, as compared to religious, phenomena. We conclude that with age, the kind of discourse children are exposed to elicits more confidence in the existence of scientific phenomena even in a religious society.

The intervention priorities of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders in Iran

When designing and implementing evidence-based programs for children with an autism spectrum disorder, the intervention priorities of parents are important criteria. Although studies in developed countries have explored parents’ intervention priorities, there is a paucity of this kind of research in developing countries. This research explores the intervention priorities of 207 Iranian parents for their children with autism in Tehran, the capital of Iran. Participants with children between 2 to 21 years of age were asked to rate their intervention priorities from among 10 main categories. In addition, correlations between children’s difficulties and parental intervention priorities were examined.The results indicate that building social communication skills was the highest intervention priority for parents of Iranian children with autism, a contrast to typical current service provision in Iran. The results also substantiated that presence of social communication difficulties and challenging behaviors in children are typically correlated with parents' intervention priorities.

Perceptions of Iranian parents towards the paternal role in raising adolescent children

In Iran, as in other nations, adolescence can be a challenging period for both parents and their children. Typically, mothers assume the main role of parenting, which can have a negative impact either directly or indirectly on paternal involvement, or conversely, play a positive role of mediation between fathers and their adolescent children. In the present study, we report on a qualitative study conducted in 2016 that explored the perceptions of Iranian parents toward the paternal role in raising adolescent children. Twenty three mothers and fathers of adolescent children were interviewed to explore their views and experiences with paternal roles in raising adolescent children. Four themes emerged from the data: (i) limited father-child interactions; (ii) mother-led parenting; (iii) father-child conflict; and (iv) united front parenting. The findings suggest that mothers maintain a prime role in parenting, but that the involvement of fathers can have a negative or positive impact on adolescent development, depending on the level and quality of that involvement. Strategies need to be explored for how parents can best support one another to engage in the development of adolescent children.

Home Learning Environments: A Cross-Cultural Study Between Germany and Iran

The home learning environment (HLE) index is composed of seven questions regarding educational parent–child interactions. To compare the psychometric characteristics of the six items of HLE index between the two different contexts of Germany and Iran, a sample including 468 preschool children from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), Germany, and 465 preschool children from the Longitudinal Study of Iranian Children (LSIC; Growing Up in Iran) were examined. Rasch analysis supports the fitness of the five items of HLE into the model in both countries. However, differential item functioning (DIF) results revealed significant differences between items functioning across the two samples. According to the item difficulty maps, reading to children was the most reported item in the German families, while Iranian parents tended to paint and draw with their children more. While findings support the construct validity and reliability of five of the six items in both samples, different Rasch results may reveal the effects of the cultural dimensions of each country on HLE items.

Coexisting religious and scientific beliefs among Iranian parents.

Coexisting religious and scientific beliefs among Iranian parents.

Social Context of Iranian Parents with Adolescents: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Introduction: The social context where parents live on affects their behaviors and interactions with their children. The social changes of the Iranian society in recent years have complicated the issues of families with adolescents.Discovering the experiences of parents by considering the cultural and Islamic context of Iran is an important step for the mental health of adolescents. The aim of this study was to specify the social context of parents with adolescents. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was a conventional content analysis that was conducted in Tabriz in 2016. Participants included 13 mothers and 10 fathers with adolescent who were included in the study by purposive sampling. Data collection was done through in-depth interviews and continued until data saturation. Data analysis was carried out using the Graneheim&Lundman approach. Four criteria of Lincoln&Guba were used to provide trustworthiness of the study. Results: The three theme reflect the social context of parents: (1)Living in the future frame with the categories, concerns on the child future and empowering the child regarding future, (2)Challenges of now days, with the categories, social hazards and gap between generations, and (3)Parental Religiosity with the categories, Parents' religious affects, guiding the child toward religion emphasis on the doing religious teachings. Conclusion: Identifying the social context of parents has shown that tree factors of occupational-educational policies, universal advances, and superior beliefs can affect the health of families. So clarifying these issues makes simplify design micro and macro interventions.

Concerns of Parents with or Raising Adolescent Children: a Qualitative Study of Iranian Families.

Introduction: Adolescence is a challenging period and cultural background plays an important role in families with adolescent. So exploring parents’ concerns in the specific context of Iran may improves nurses' family-based services and helps to reduce conflicts Iranian families with respect to adolescents. In this paper we explore perceptions of Iranian parents’ concerns in the family with raising adolescent children. Methods: Participants of this qualitative content analysis study were 23 parents with adolescents, who were recruited through purposive sampling. Data collection was done through semi structured in-depth interviews and analyzed based on Graneheim and Landman’s approach. Lincoln and Guba’s criteria were used to ensure the accuracy and strength of the study. Results: The theme "rebellion against parents’ authority" was supported by two categories: (1) parent-teenage conflict, and (2) difficulty in controlling. As the offspring enter adolescence, parents feel that their child is going to leave their domain. Conclusion: Findings from this study showed that the incongruity arises when traditional family norms fail to adapt to new patterns. Change of social and cultural norms in developing societies, has led to generational differences in families. This issue accompanied with adolescence, increases parents’ concern. So we recommend parental educational programs for learning effectively patterns for resisting internal challenges and communicate with adolescents.

Qualitative needs assessment: Iranian parents' perspectives in sexuality education of their children

Context: Parental education in sexuality plays a vital role in children's lives. Aims: The purpose of this study was to explore Iranian parents' perspectives about the needs of children sexuality education. Setting and Design: This qualitative study was done in 2016. Materials and Methods: In this qualitative inquiry, seven sessions of community group interview and focus group discussions were conducted with the parents of Ghaemshahr, Iran, using purposive sampling (n = 39, 27 mothers and 12 fathers). Statistical Analysis Used: We employed thematic analysis method to extract our findings. Results: The findings were categorized into three essential needs: (1) parents' preparedness, (2) efficacious parental management, and (3) supportive environments. The sub-theme describing the theme 1 includes “the need for adequate knowledge to answer the sexual questions and the child's sexual curiosity” and “the need for awareness about the time of beginning an appropriate sexuality education for children.” Moreover, the sub-theme describing theme 2 includes “the need for sufficient skills to begin proper and intimate communication,” “the need for effective monitoring and care,” and “the need for capability in managing the child sexual behavior.” Moreover, the sub-theme describing theme 3 includes “the need to receive training from sexual health professionals,” “the need for authorized sexuality education programs,” “the need for national-wide policy-making and strategy planning in sexuality education,” and “the need for a comprehensive and complete educational resource.” Conclusion: Our findings suggest that to address the goals in sexuality education for children, parents' need to be prepared in knowledge, and gaining positive attitude and practical skills. To achieve these goals, supportive environments must be provided by policy-makers and health providers with culturally appropriate strategy planning.

The Relationship of Parental Pain Catastrophizing with Parents Reports of Children's Anxiety, Depression, and Headache Severity.

Parental pain catastrophizing is a construct recognized to have a significant impact on experience of pain in both children and parents. This research aimed to investigate the probable relationship of parental pain catastrophizing with the parent's reports of children's anxiety, depression and headache severity amongst Iranian parents of children with chronic or recurrent headache. This study was conducted in 2015-16, in two pediatric neurological centers located in Tehran, Iran; with a convenience sampling method and 212 parents (120 mothers and 92 fathers) of 132 children with a chronic or recurrent headache (migraine and tension-type). They completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale; Numeric Pain Rating Scale, asking for the average of pain severity in last three months before the research, and the Anxiety and Depression subscales of the Children Behavioral Check List. The mean age of parents was 35.41 yr (SD=5.58) and the mean age of children was 9.83 yr (SD=2.77). A total of 72 girls and 60 boys participated in this study with a mean pain severity for headache in last three months before the research of 4.99 (SD=2.63). Probable sex differences according to parental pain catastrophizing, pain severity, anxiety, and depression were assessed amongst parents. In the next step, the predictability of pain severity from parental pain catastrophizing was evaluated. Results indicated a significant relationship in maternal pain catastrophizing and estimates of pain intensity by mothers. These findings represent the importance of parent's especially mother's cognitive factors affecting their reports of their children's pain and related emotional disturbances.

Factors and Interventions Associated with Parental Attachment during Pregnancy in Iran: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Parents' attachment to the child is an intimate,warm and continuous relationship which is the basis of the natural development of the child. Attachment starts long before birth, and is affected by a variety of factors that are not definitively recognized. Also, several interventions have been proposed for improving it that their effectiveness has not yet been determined. Given the evidence about the role of cultural and national differences, it is necessary to review existing studies in order to identify these factors and interventions in Iran.Methods and Materials: In this review, Web of Science, Scopous, Proquest,Psycinfo, CINAHL and Pubmed databases and SID, Magiran, Irondoc, Barakat Knowledge Network System as Iranian databases were searched using English and Persian keywords such as prenatal attachment, relationship, maternal attachment between 2000 and 2017, to find articles related to prenatal attachment. The full text of the articles was studied by two reviewer and their main findings were extracted and categorized.Results: Factors and interventions associated with parental attachment summarized into 12 themes: parent education, culture, anxiety, family, planning for pregnancy, history of fetal loss, substance abuse, postpartum attachment, fetal anomaly, paternal attachment, attachment measurement tools, and effectiveness of education on prenatal attachment .Conclusion: the effect of education and counseling on prenatal attachment in Iranian parents suggests the use of these methods in prenatal care. Parent’s education, social support and marital satisfaction were significant associated factors with increasing maternal attachment. History of fetal loss, anxiety and smoking was associated with the poor prenatal attachment

Wonder Beyond Belief: On Christianity by Navid Kermani

Reviewed by: Wonder Beyond Belief: On Christianity by Navid Kermani Florian Hild (bio) Navid Kermani (trans. Tony Crawford), Wonder Beyond Belief: On Christianity (Polity, 2017), 272 pp. Errata Navid Kermani contains multitudes: born in Germany to Iranian parents, he is a practicing Muslim who is at home with Goethe and Hannah Arendt just as much as in reporting from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, or Cologne’s football stadium. Stephen Greenblatt called Kermani “one of the greatest Muslim writers and thinkers in the Western world.” He is a novelist, an orator, a thoughtful commentator on current events, and one of the rare voices that speaks with love and erudition about the Middle East and the West. Just as Goethe turned outward to write the West-Eastern Diwan from 1814–19 when all of Europe turned inward, Kermani seeks and lives the exchange between Orient and Occident at a time when Western authors give lip service to “intercultural dialogue” but often lack knowledge of the East and sometimes even of ourselves. “Shapeless fogs don’t encounter each other,” Hermann Hesse said, and Kermani gives shape and substance to both Islam and Christianity in his recently translated book, Wonder Beyond Belief. In this beautiful book (whose German title Ungläubiges Staunen literally means “wonder without belief and which Kermani originally wanted to call My Own Christianity), a fictionalized Kermani, assisted by an equally artful Catholic friend, makes his idiosyncratic way through Christianity by meditating on 40 works of Christian art. In these three- to 17-page essays, ranging from the first known depiction of the Madonna to a screenshot of Father Paolo Dall’Oglio, kidnapped and probably executed by ISIS in 2013, Kermani engages with the Christian faith in an irreverently pious and affectionately skeptical way. As it meandered leisurely past sculptures of an ugly Jesus, ancient mosaics, churches, Da Vinci, Gerhard Richter, Albrecht Dürer, and many more beautifully reproduced works of art, Wonder Beyond Belief taught me more about Christianity and Islam than seems possible in such a deceptively light and breezy read. The book invites [End Page 684] jumping around, re-reading, comparing, and meditating on the many literary and theological gems Kermani offers to readers. After I read Wonder Beyond Belief and took the liberty of asking Mr. Kermani which essays he’d like to see translated into English first, I suggested a striking one about a crucifix. His response was: “No, not ‘Cross,’ please.” This aversion to sensationalizing his work or himself seems typical: Kermani resists categorization, avoids talk shows, and prefers to give long radio interviews instead; a prostrated Muslim under a cross was not the first impression he wanted to give an American audience. He suggested “Love II” instead: a meditation on El Greco’s Christ Bids Farewell to His Mother. “I thought I saw two lovers, or, to be precise, two who love each other not like mother and son,” he writes. Mary as the archetypal mother is venerated in Kermani’s Islam, and many chapters in Wonder Beyond Belief deal with maternal love. In “Love II,” though, Mary looks too young to be a mother and Christ does not look like a son. “Only someone who knows she is entirely safe with her lover looks with such self-abandonment. And indeed he looks at her with eyes that simultaneously covet and protect. This is less a savior than someone who himself was saved by love.” Kermani then describes the contradictory nature of the painting’s title and its apparent content. At one point in “Love II” he writes that “as an outsider, that seems a bit strange to me,” referring to the inconsistency of the farewell motif and the biblical account of Jesus’s last days. It is precisely his outsider’s perspective, the incredulous awe he feels when contemplating Christianity through the lens of art, that gives Kermani’s book the refreshing and stimulating power which leaps off every page. The naïve and curious narrator of Wonder Beyond Belief can wonder where an insider can’t. He ends “Love II” by wondering about El Greco’s wonder regarding the mother and her divine son: “Is it not bewildering that the very two human...