Socio-Cultural Strategy

Socio-Cultural Strategy

Analyzing the opinion of the elites about the desire of couples to have children with an emphasis on general policies of the population

Document Type : Original Article

Author
gholamreza tajbakhsh
Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi University, Boroujerd, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/scs.2024.453584.1562
Abstract
Background and purpose: The decrease in the fertility rate and the demographic movement of the society towards aging are among the reasons that have made it necessary for researchers to investigate the issue of having children in Iran. Based on this, the aim of the current research is to analyze the opinion of elites about the desire to have children and to identify factors related to it in Lorestan province.
Method: Quantitative methodology (Q method) was used for this research. The statistical population of this research includes elites who are knowledgeable about the subject. The sample size includes 90 elite experts in the field of demographics and child bearing. A researcher-made questionnaire was also used to collect information. Validity and reliability analysis was performed in the quantitative part of Cronbach's alpha test and determining the factor loading of the items. SPS 26 and Imus Graphics 24 statistical software were used to analyze the findings. Findings: The findings of the Q method showed that couples feel insecure in the job dimension with 4/97, feeling insecure in the living expenses dimension with 4/72, feeling insecure in the financial and income dimension with 4/61, in the housing dimension with 4/55, Immigrating with 4/42, life skills of couples with 3/67 have the greatest effect on the propensity to have children of couples in Lorestan province. Also, the results of the path analysis using structural equation modeling show that cultural factors with 0/385, social factors with 0.354, economic factors with 0.325, political factors with 0.211 and psychological factors with 0.162 respectively are the most have an effect on the desire of couples to have children in Lorestan province. Conclusion: Different factors play a role in couples' desire to have children. Among these proven factors are economic factors such as financial income, employment, housing, political factors such as government support for couples and appropriate planning and policies, cultural and social factors that can change the view of couples on having children.
Keywords
Family
childbearing
fertility
elites
Lorestan
Subjects
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Socio-Cultural Strategy
Volume 13, Issue 4 - Serial Number 54
Autumn 2024
Pages 1411-1444

  • Receive Date 21 April 2024
  • Revise Date 05 June 2024
  • Accept Date 06 June 2024