The aim of this study was to model the causal relationships between social cohesion and attachment to peers with a sense of belonging to school, along with studying the mediating role of loneliness and the moderating role of academic field in adolescent girls.The number of 349 female students of second year of middle school in Urmia city (mean age 16.66, standard deviation 1.01) were selected randomized multistage cluster sampling method; they answered the questionnaires feeling of belonging school social cohesion, feeling of loneliness and attachment to peers. The data analyzed using structural equations and hierarchical regression using Spss and version 26 software. The results showed in absence of moderator, feeling of loneliness has mediating role. Also the fit indices models were eligible and 8% of the variance of feeling of belonging to school was specified by combination variables of social incorporation, attachment to peers and feeling of loneliness. Moreover, results regression analysis indicated that in conceptual model, the explanatory value variance feeling of belonging to school at a significance level was less than 0.05, significant and positive for the mathematics-physics field and experimental science field, and it was insignificant for humanities field. This result shows educational field a significant moderating role. In general, mediator-moderator model is suitable and fit in mathematics-physics and experimental sciences. From these findings, it is concluded that level of social incorporation and feeling of loneliness teenage girls can be studied and investigated in order to predict their sense of belonging to school, however, it is necessary to consider educational field in study and even in designing and planning of possible future interventions.
In modern society, self and the most obvious carrier of it, body has granted special importance, and body management has flourished in various forms. For this purpose, this study was conducted with the aim of exploring the lived experience of Yazdi women from consuming body-centered goods and services (bodybuilding, diets, and dietary supplements). With a qualitative approach and phenomenological method, 14 Yazdi women consumers who were selected through purposive and theoretical sampling were interviewed using in-depth and semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using Dickelman et al.'s seven-step method. Four themes, including self-promotion as a set, body capitalism in the face of the challenge of the life cycles, social norms of the body: reproduction and internalization, pressures and supports in physical adaptation, were coded with 16 sub-themes. The women's narratives show that body management is beyond a physical act and is a deep and continuous identity project in which women rethink and represent themselves in challenging social contexts. This process is not just due to the influence of the media or to please others, but is an active effort by women to be proactive and give meaning to life in the modern world.
The present article is to determine the relationship between irrational beliefs, cognitive distortions, and dependent personality disorder, with the mediating role of codependency in women with ill spouses. The research method is descriptive-correlational. The statistical population includes all women whose husbands are sick and have physical and psychological injuries in Yasuj City in the year 2024. The statistical sample includes 210 women who were selected using the convenience sampling method due to the unknown exact size of the statistical population and executive limitations. The data collection instruments include the Dependent Personality Questionnaire (DPQ), the Holyoake Codependency Index (HCI), the Irrational Beliefs Test (IBT), and the Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire. For data analysis, the Pearson correlation coefficient, inter regression test, and path analysis were used. The findings indicated that all predictor variables together explained 30% of the variance of dependent personality disorder, with the largest explanatory contribution belonging to the codependency variable at 26%. Given that the standardized beta coefficients of the codependency (β=0.302) and cognitive distortions (β=0.305) variables were significant at the 99% confidence level, these two variables were therefore significant predictors of dependent personality disorder. Furthermore, the results of the path analysis test indicated that irrational beliefs have a significant positive indirect effect, and cognitive distortions have a significant positive direct and indirect effect on dependent personality disorder through the codependency variable. Therefore, it can be concluded that the codependency variable has a mediating role in the relationship between irrational beliefs and cognitive distortions with dependent personality disorder.
Menstruation in many societies, including the cultural context of Yazd, Iran, is surrounded by shame, silence, and concealment. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of menstruation among adolescent girls in Yazd and to examine how they construct meaning around this phenomenon. Employing a phenomenological approach, data were collected through 25 semi-structured interviews and one focus group discussion with eight participants. Thematic analysis of the data led to the identification of the final theme: From shame induction to reclaiming agency. Five major themes supported the central theme: (1) the reproduction of menstrual shame, (2) the culture of silence and concealment, (3) supportive and educational resources, (4) the duality of menstrual experience, from isolation to empowerment, and (5) the shift from menstruation as deficiency to menstruation as capability. The findings suggest that while girls initially experience menstruation within a framework of stigma and secrecy, some are able to reinterpret it as a source of strength and empowerment. This transformation underscores the active agency of adolescent girls in challenging and renegotiating cultural taboos surrounding menstruation. The study highlights the importance of addressing menstruation not only as a biological event but also as a socially constructed phenomenon, calling for educational and supportive interventions that encourage open dialogue and promote positive, empowering understandings of menstruation.
In recent years, along with the expansion of smartphone use and the increase in membership in social networks and their heavy use, body image dissatisfaction has spread, especially among girls. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of rejection sensitivity in the relationship between body image satisfaction and Instagram use in women. The present study was descriptive-correlational based on the structural equation model. The statistical population of the study included all female students studying in Ardabil in 2023-2024, from which 203 female students were selected using Quota sampling. In order to collect data, the Instagram Addiction Scale of Andresen et al. (2012), the Body Image Satisfaction Scale of Soeto and Garcia (1989), and the Interpersonal Sensitivity Questionnaire of Bais and Parker (2000) were used. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling using SPSS-26 and AMOS-24 statistical software. The results showed that Instagram use is directly and positively related to rejection sensitivity, and directly and inversely related to body image satisfaction. Also, Instagram use has a negative effect on body image satisfaction through the mediation of rejection sensitivity (P≥0.01); therefore, considering the final fit of the model, it can be said that increasing Instagram use can reduce body image satisfaction in people with rejection sensitivity.
This research aims to identify and analyze the problems of female faculty by studying the lived experience of female faculty members in STEM fields. In this research, a qualitative method with a case study approach was used. Sharif University of Technology was selected as a marginal sample for the study and a semi-structured interview was conducted with 10 female faculty members of this university. Data analysis was done with thematic analysis method and using MaxQda2020 tool and independent coders, cross-examination and contextual description were used to increase validity and reliability of the analyses. Data analysis led to the identification of seven main themes, including: non-inclusion of promotion criteria, uneven path to industry engagement, glass ceiling in holding managerial positions, inadequate professorship income, weak training and professional development, masculinity of university and society culture, and applying of personal preferences in the recruitment .In addition to common challenges with men, female faculty members have other challenges due to gender in the field of attracting and promoting scientific rank, which are more prominent in areas such as holding managerial positions, communication with industry, and the dominance of male culture. In order to solve these challenges, in addition to creating culture, it is necessary to provide legal and welfare infrastructure.
The subject of this research is the forms and manifestations of place attachment among women residing in the informal settlement of Mehrabad in Mashhad, conducted qualitatively with a purposive sample of twenty women living in the area. The results showed that women’s bond with the Mehrabad neighborhood encompasses various psychological, emotional, and identity-related dimensions, as well as behavioral-social and cognitive aspects. Based on the findings, the forms of women’s attachment to the Mehrabad neighborhood were identified as: individual and collective identity, social interactions, participation and usefulness, feelings and emotional belonging, and finally, the desire to remain. Although identity and social interactions form the foundation of place attachment, the study revealed that the demographic diversity and intergenerational differences in the Mehrabad neighborhood disrupt this process (reducing attachment). Older and non-migrant women have negative feelings toward the ethnic and religious diversity of the neighborhood, which leads to increased social distance and intergroup negative attitudes. The newer generation, with a more pragmatic outlook, is less attached to the neighborhood and seeks new opportunities in the city. These tensions require management.
Girls who are victims of cyberbullying often face wide-ranging psychological and social consequences that can negatively affect their quality of life. The aim of the present study was to provide a model of girls who are victims of cyberbullying based on early maladaptive schemas with the mediating role of peer pressure. In this study, a sample of 210 girls aged 15 to 25, who had contacted the Cyber Police emergency center of West Azerbaijan Province, was selected through convenience sampling. The research variables were measured using the Young Schema Questionnaire–Short Form (1998), the revised Peer Pressure Scale (Singh et al, 2011: 163), and the Cyberbullying/Victimization Experiences Questionnaire (Antoniadou et al., 2016: 384). Data analysis using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling showed that the proposed model had a good fit; specifically, the chi-square to degrees of freedom ratio was 1.86 and the RMSEA index was 0.064. Furthermore, peer pressure was confirmed as a mediating variable that significantly strengthened the effect of early maladaptive schemas on cyberbullying victimization, such that the path coefficients ranged from 0.49 to 0.59 with T-values greater than 7. The findings of this study can provide a basis for designing preventive and therapeutic programs aimed at reducing the harms caused by cyberbullying.
This study examines the phenomenon of cyberstalking of young women by romantic partners and analyzes the various dimensions of this issue in a contemporary social and cultural context. The research was conducted using a qualitative method and grounded theory. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 21 young women experiencing cyberstalking and analyzed based on the systematic method of Strauss and Corbin including open, axial and selective coding. The results showed that cyberstalking acted as a tool to control and intimidate women and was influenced by social and cultural norms. The axial categories are: surveillance and tracking, access and impersonation, psychological manipulation, passive resistance, double cost, reciprocal violence, legalistic response, collective resistance networks, fear of privacy violation, fear of objective threats and digital subterfuge. Women's coping strategies in the face of stalking, including conservative and assertive responses, had profound psychological and emotional impacts on victims. This research will help to better understand how to develop policies and educational programs to increase women's awareness and safety in cyberspace.
Parental stress is a significant factor affecting parents' mental health and can negatively impact parent-child relationships. This study examined the relationship between psychological capital and parental stress, with the mediating role of perfectionism among mothers. A cross-sectional design using structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to data collected from 410 mothers of school-aged children in Jolfa, Iran. Participants completed the Luthans Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ), the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS), and the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF). The proposed model demonstrated a good fit for evaluating the causal relationships between the variables (CFI = 0.979, RMSEA = 0.028). Results revealed that psychological capital significantly and negatively predicted parental stress (β = -0.27). Additionally, perfectionism significantly mediated this relationship, such that higher psychological capital was associated with reduced perfectionism, which in turn led to lower parental stress (β = -0.159, p < 0.005). The analysis also showed that certain background variables had meaningful associations with the main variables: number of children was positively related to both perfectionism and parental stress, while mothers' educational level was positively associated with perfectionism. These findings underscore the protective role of psychological capital in reducing parental stress and highlight the exacerbating effect of maladaptive perfectionism. The results point to the importance of developing psychological interventions aimed at enhancing psychological capital and reducing perfectionistic tendencies among parents.
Given the importance of maternal health for society at large, this study aims to determine the role of Family Talk Intervention (FTI) on self-silencing and distress tolerance in mothers of children with internalized behavioral problems in Isfahan. A quasi-experimental research method with pre-test, post-test and a four month follow-up with control group and the statistical population included all mothers and children of first grade high school girls. Through cluster and purposeful sampling method, 40 children with internalized behavioral problems with their mothers were selected and randomly assigned into experimental and control groups, n1=n2 =20. The parents of the experimental group underwent intervention based on FTI in 7 sessions of 45 minutes (Beardslee et al,1997) Participants completed the self silencing scale (Jack and Dale 1992) and the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS) Simons & Gahr (2005). Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance. The results showed that the FTI in the post-test phase on self-silencing and its components and distress tolerance and two of its four components (tolerance and evaluation) are effective. In addition, the results in the follow-up phase also continued on self silencing and its two components (silencing the self, and the divided self), but were not significant in terms of distress tolerance. Since the main group in raising children are parents, so FTI can be effective in promoting positive activities between parents and their children and reducing their problems by educating parents.
The present study aimed to investigate the impact of women’s employment on the feeling of social alienation among employed women in the healthcare sector of Gonabad. This cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of 170 women working in this field, using the Social Alienation Questionnaire as the data collection tool. The results showed that the type of women’s employment affects their sense of social alienation. In addition, the type of employment influenced various components of social alienation, such as alienation from work with F(17.311), alienation from self with F(20.587), alienation from social institutions with F(20.971), alienation from social relations with F(5.721), alienation from family with F(9.045), sense of powerlessness with F(9.432), sense of rootlessness with F(10.058), and sense of nihilism with F(6.583). Women’s employment in the healthcare services sector not only plays a vital role in promoting public health but is also recognized as one of the pillars of human and social development. Furthermore, the active presence of women in this sector can contribute to creating positive social role models and enhancing social capital. The conclusion indicates that women’s employment, especially in the healthcare sector, has significant effects on their sense of social alienation. In this regard, changes in individual and social life resulting from employment sometimes lead to a detachment from social values and norms. To reduce such feelings of alienation, it is recommended to pay special attention to job quality, wages, equal opportunities, and participation in decision-making, while ensuring alignment between the job and personal interests and creating a suitable work environment, all of which can contribute to improving the quality of women’s work life.
This study is applied in nature and utilizes a descriptive-analytical methodology. The total rural population of the study area is 66,858, of which 31,785 are women. The statistical population includes women aged 15 to 64 years. To determine the appropriate sample size, Cochran’s formula and stratified random sampling based on the number of women in each rural district were used. Based on these calculations, a total of 380 women were selected as the sample. To analyze the data, one-sample t-test, multiple regression analysis, and path analysis were employed. The results revealed that the four variables—economic (mean: 3.080), social (mean: 3.108), psychological (mean: 3.114), and individual (mean: 3.074)—were in relatively favorable conditions. Among the empowerment indicators, "focus on tasks and their management" had the highest mean score (3.247), while "self-confidence" had the lowest (1.218). Overall, the mean level of women's empowerment was 2.050. Considering the obtained significance level and the fact that both the upper and lower bounds were negative, the general status of empowerment was assessed as unfavorable. To examine the influencing factors, multiple regression analysis was conducted. Results showed that the economic factor had the greatest impact on women's empowerment (β = 0.325), followed by individual (β = 0.272), social (β = 0.216), and psychological factors (β = 0.154). Path analysis also indicated that the economic factor had the highest total effect (0.551), while the psychological factor had the lowest (0.154) on rural women's empowerment.
The present study aimed to develop a social entrepreneurship model with an emphasis on empowering female-headed households in the Sistan and Baluchestan Province of Iran. The research population comprised two distinct groups: for the qualitative phase, experts and active entrepreneurs in the field of social entrepreneurship within the Province; and for the quantitative phase, all registered female heads of households listed with the Department of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare. Data collection tools included semi-structured interviews and a researcher-developed questionnaire based on findings from the qualitative phase. Thematic analysis was employed for qualitative data, while structural equation modeling was used for quantitative analysis, utilizing SPSS version 21 and Smart PLS version 3. The qualitative analysis resulted in the identification of 66 basic themes, 37 organizing themes, and 6 overarching themes, namely: limitations, strategies, barriers, outcomes, capacities, and priorities. Quantitative findings confirmed a good fit for the proposed model of social entrepreneurship aimed at empowering female-headed households in the region. The model, developed and tested in this research, considers components such as local capacities, structural barriers, cultural constraints, practical strategies, and regional priorities. It provides an operational framework for policymakers, support institutions, and social entrepreneurship practitioners. The implementation of this model can serve as an effective step toward enhancing women's economic participation, reducing social harms related to poverty and deprivation, and fostering sustainable local development.
Suicide is a multifaceted phenomenon resulting from the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors. Although the number of cases leading to death is higher in men, suicide attempts occur about twice as often in women as in men; therefore, a deeper understanding of this phenomenon and finding effective solutions for its prevention, intervention, and treatment requires a careful examination of the relevant threatening and protective factors. This qualitative research aimed to explore the cognitive experiences of women attempting suicide. The study was conducted using a phenomenological approach and the Claise method on 11 women with a history of suicide attempts who referred to the Meybod Social Emergency Department. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed in seven stages. The findings included four main categories: "suicidal thoughts without action, memory distortion, learned helplessness, and self-worthlessness," six subcategories: "experiencing suicidal thoughts, memory distortion, feeling rejected, inability to solve the problem properly, blaming and imposing emotions," and eleven concepts: "not committing suicide because of dependencies, not committing suicide because of fear or lack of courage, not committing suicide based on religion, not remembering good memories, constantly reviewing negative scenes, not being important in life, planning to kill one's spouse, accepting, blaming others, rumination, and choosing the label of being sad and depressed." The findings showed that dysfunctional cognitive patterns and mental distortions play an important role in increasing the risk of suicide attempts. Therefore, screening and training in thought correction methods in health centers can make a significant contribution to effective prevention and intervention.
The purpose of the present study is to understand the digital lifestyle of female students in Ahvaz and the role of modern technologies—especially the Internet and virtual social networks—in the digitalization of lifestyle. New technologies have infiltrated all social, organizational, and individual spaces in human societies and have influenced people's daily lives, work, and knowledge. The research method is grounded theory. Research data were collected through in-depth interviews using a purposive sampling method with 15 secondary school students from the four districts of Ahvaz. For data analysis, the 2015 version of Corbin and Strauss’s method was employed, involving five steps: coding and identifying concepts, developing concepts into dimensions and properties, contextual analysis, process analysis, and integration of categories. After analyzing and coding the interview data, three main categories were identified. These categories were organized into three core dimensions: conditions, action–interaction, and consequences. In the conditions dimension, categories such as appeal and pleasure, curiosity and excitement, isolation and loneliness, feelings of lagging behind global technologies, and the desire for synchronization were extracted. In the action–interaction dimension, categories included overcoming problems and escaping reality, maintaining and continuing intimate relationships by reducing spatial distance, engaging in interpersonal communication beyond family constraints, and bold self-expression. In the consequences dimension, the results included leisure, access to information, e-commerce, and the saving of time and acceleration of access to facilities and services. By analyzing and integrating these three dimensions, the core concept of "digital transformation in students' lifestyle" was identified. This indicates that interaction with new technologies is a two-way process of cognition and use, through which individuals not only respond to their daily needs but also redefine their identity, social relationships, and lifestyle.
Spaces are a factor in shaping social relationships, and interactions between society and space can help diminish or eliminate women's interactive limitations. The third space was first proposed by Oldenburg and has been discussed in the scientific world since then. The aim of this research is to understand how culture houses, as third spaces, can differentiate women's social worlds through their processes."The study's population consisted of women present in culture houses in Tehran, who were selected through purposive and theoretical sampling methods. The research method was qualitative, with a grounded theory approach. The central focus of the research was the creation of a semiotic space of resistance, which, through the process of generational gap, connection building, and the formation of a distinct worldview, has emerged within this third space.Despite factors such as disciplinary restrictions, the study addresses appropriation and resistance within these spaces. The findings reveal that women are creative actors who actively produce the spaces they desire.
Female-headed households face multiple challenges due to simultaneously fulfilling paternal and maternal roles. The present study aimed to investigate the structural relationships of social vulnerability based on critical thinking and social acceptance, with the mediating role of self-esteem. This research employed a descriptive-correlational design. The statistical population included all female-headed households in Yazd city in 2023, from which 200 participants were selected through convenience sampling. They completed questionnaires on attitudes toward social harm, critical thinking, social acceptance, and self-esteem. The results indicated that the variables of critical thinking, social acceptance, and self-esteem had significant relationships with social vulnerability in female-headed households. The relationship between self-esteem and social vulnerability was significant, with a t-value of -10.95 (p < 0.01). The relationship between critical thinking and social vulnerability yielded a direct t-value of -5.71 and an indirect t-value of -3.60. The t-value for the relationship between social acceptance and social vulnerability was -1.42 directly and -4.35 indirectly (p < 0.05). The findings confirmed that self-esteem plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between critical thinking and social acceptance with social vulnerability. Enhancing self-esteem, increasing social acceptance, and developing critical thinking skills may help protect female-headed households against social harm.
Most countries in the world have experienced fundamental changes in fertility and family formation patterns in recent years. These changes include delay in first marriage and first birth, which is often associated with the process of globalization and changing values towards greater individualization. Iran has witnessed an increase in the age of marriage and a decrease in the fertility rate in recent years, which requires a sociological explanation for the state of attitude to childbearing in Iranian society. The aim of this study was to provide a sociological explanation of the attitude to childbearing in Mashhad's married women. This research was conducted using a survey method. The statistical population of the study was married women in Mashhad, from whom 554 were selected as a sample from 13 regions. The data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. The results of the study show that the average attitude to childbearing is about 2.77 out of 5, which indicates a medium level. The multiple regression coefficients show that the strongest predictors of the attitude to childbearing are, respectively, adherence to religious values (beta coefficient = 0.50), attitude to family roles (beta coefficient = 0.19), and social capital (beta coefficient = 0.13). In general, adherence to the values and norms of the two important institutions of family and religion can improve attitudes to childbearing in Iranian society. This means that these two institutions still have positive functions in Iranian society to promote desirable and needed behaviors such as childbearing.
This study explores the influence of gender-based social norms on gender inequality in higher education within the context of economic complexity across a panel of 23 countries, with particular focus on Iran, over the period from 2014 to 2021. Economic complexity, representing the sophistication and diversity of an economy's productive capabilities, is posited as a significant determinant impacting gender inequality in educational outcomes. In addition to economic complexity, control variables such as government educational expenditure per student, unemployment rate, good governance, and business openness are included to provide a comprehensive view. Empirical findings indicate that higher foreign direct investment and an improved governance index contribute to a reduction in gender inequality in education, whereas higher unemployment levels are associated with an increase in inequality. In contrast, trade liberalization and government educational expenditure per student do not significantly impact gender inequality in higher education. This paper offers insights into the dynamics of social norms and economic structures in shaping educational equity, with policy implications for countries aiming to reduce gender disparities in higher education through economic and governance reforms.
