Study of lived experience of motherhood and marriage of women heads of households in Tehran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Professor, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Alzahra University Kh.safiri@alzahra.ac.ir

2 Ph.D, student of Sociology, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Alzahra University. Corresponding Author: Earabpour@yahoo.com

Abstract

The family plays an important role in the mental and social health of its members and then in the social health of the community. The absence of either parent in the family environment upsets its balance and weakens its functions. Female-headed households, in addition to maternal duties and responsibilities, find new roles and responsibilities in the family. Worsening of these conditions is compounded when the position of the female inferior is combined with the inferior position of the class and these two major gaps condense. The aim of this study was to investigate the issues and concerns of heads of households and how they face the challenges ahead with a qualitative approach and phenomenological method. For this purpose, semi-structured and in-depth interviews were conducted with 19 heads of households living in Tehran, and purposive sampling method was used to select them. After analyzing the findings, 11 themes were obtained. These themes include the life process of mothers-to-be, including pre-care conditions and the challenges of cohabitation (child as a means of cohesion and survival, efforts to maintain and rebuild life, negative family attitudes toward divorce), and care issues (poverty). And includes self-esteem, antisemitism, social isolation, double suffering, child concern, reconstructed identity, mental and physical trauma, feelings of insecurity and fear. Finally, according to the identification of 5 types of female-headed households (injured and rejected women, women motivated to improve and change the situation, women with relative family support, female nursing spouses and children in the family, children supporting women and caring mothers) We obtained the research data. Double suffering, social exclusion (forced or voluntary), and identity reconstruction are central and common categories of female-headed households in this study.
 
Keywords
 heads of households, phenomenology, typology, double suffering, social exclusion.
 
            Introduction & Purpose
The family is the first and most important institution in human history that plays an important role in the mental and social health of its members and then in the social health of society. The loss of a husband and its socio-economic consequences put women at a disadvantage. The division of labour in the family is distorted, and women accept the role of mother and guardian of both children. This multiplicity of roles can cause many pressures and injuries for women heads of households (Sediq, 2008; Moeidfar, 2007; Khosravi, 2001). The present study addresses the issue of how mothers who are heads of households can cope with nursing and dealing with sick family members, family support and provision (economically, emotionally) alone? And what challenges and issues do they face in this regard? In this study, understanding the lived and unique experience of women heads of households in dealing with these issues, their semantic understanding of the discomfort they suffer through such conditions, as well as their typology are among the main goals.
 
Research Methods
The research was carried out using a qualitative approach and a phenomenological methodology. The sample of this study is 19 mother-headed households living in Tehran.
 
Results
After analyzing the findings, 11 themes were obtained. These themes reflect the life process of the mothers-to-be in the pre-care and caregiver eras. Finally, according to the research data, 5 types of female-headed households (injured and rejected women, women motivated to improve and change the situation, women with relative family support, women nursing spouses and children in the family, supportive children Women and guardian mothers) were identified. Double suffering, social exclusion (forced or voluntary), and identity reconstruction are central and common categories of female-headed households in this study. Improving the situation of women heads of households requires, above all, empowering them in the areas of employment, skills and self-awareness.

Keywords

References

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