مطالعات زن و خانواده

 Using a qualitative approach and the grounded theory, the present study seeks to analyze the perception of marriage by the university students in Isfahan. The field of the research was the state universities in Isfahan, including Isfahan University, Isfahan University of Technology, and the Medical University of Isfahan. The participants included thirty students of various fields of study at different levels of education. They were selected through purposeful-theoretical sampling, and the required data were derived from semi-structured in-depth interviews. The data analysis was performed by open, axial and selective coding processes and a paradigmatic model as the analytical tool. Also, the content validity of the research was evaluated with validation techniques, by an external expert, and through analytical comparisons. As the research findings indicated, university students’ perception of marriage can be discussed based on the components of a paradigmatic model, including causal conditions (i.e., underlying obstacles, failure phobia, limitation assumptions, mental imaging of marriage), intervening conditions (i.e., available alternatives, marriage patterns), background conditions (i.e., variation of roles, commercialization of marriage), strategies (individual and institutional ones), consequences (psychological, affective, social and economic ones), and the core category of ‘marriage as an unpredictable phenomenon’

Human procreation and its various features are among the most important topics worldwide. One of the areas of this analysis deals with international human rights documents because these documents show international trends in reproductive rights. Therefore, this paper aims to prepare a venue to understand the definition, nature or entity, scope and content, right - holder and duty bearer, and the obligations of duty-bearers regarding others’ reproductive rights in international human rights organizations. The findings indicated there is no specific and agreed definition of reproductive rights in these human rights documents. The theories (Hohfeld’s theory about a right, the Will - Choice Theory, and the Benefit - Interest Theory) cannot justify the nature of reproductive rights well. There are many epistemological challenges regarding the content and the scope of these reproductive rights and related states’ obligations in those treaties, which made the realization of these reproductive rights difficult or even impossible.

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the roles of object relations, paranoid thoughts and interdependence in the stability of married women’s life in Mashhad. This study was a descriptive correlational study. The research population consisted of the married women in Districts 10 and 12 of the city of Mashhad in 2023, and the exact number was not known. Based on Tabachnick and Fidell's formula, 74 samples were required, but for higher reliability and more accuracy in the results, 212 people were selected through convenience sampling (e.g., households, university and hospitals). The research tools included Booth et al. Marital Instability Questionnaire (1983), the Bell Object Relations Questionnaire (1995), the Green et al. Paranoid Thoughts Scale (2008) and Fisher et al. Interdependence Questionnaire (1991). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient and enter regression were used in data analysis. The results of data analysis showed that there is a significant negative relationship between object relations, paranoid thoughts and interdependence with the marital stability (P<0.01). Also, the results of the regression analysis showed that only paranoid thoughts and interdependence are significant predictors for the marital stability (P<0.01). According to the findings, it can be concluded that the higher the amount of paranoid thoughts and interdependence in married women, the lower their marital stability will be.

Female heads of households face various psychological and social challenges that significantly impact their lives. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of an intervention focused on teaching problem-solving and decision-making skills on the critical thinking abilities of female heads of households. This research employed a semi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test measures, including a control group. The study population comprised all female heads of households under the jurisdiction of the Welfare organization of Meybod city. Thirty participants were selected via purposive sampling and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group (15 participants per group). The experimental group underwent a ten-session training program on problem-solving and decision-making skills, while the control group received no intervention. Both groups completed the California Critical Thinking Questionnaire before and after the intervention. The data were analyzed using multiple analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The findings revealed that teaching problem-solving and decision-making skills significantly enhanced critical thinking among participants in the experimental group. This effect was observed across all three subscales of critical thinking (p < .01). These results suggest that instructing problem-solving and decision-making skills can effectively enhance the quality of critical thinking among female-headed households.

Gender and Third Spaces: Women's Perceptions and Experiences of Coworking Spaces in Tehran"New theories consider space as a social construct in which all members of society, including women, play a role in its production. Space is a domain for the reproduction of power and the representation of social roles. The concept of third space, despite being discussed by many theorists, was notably introduced by Oldenburg. Third spaces can be understood as places other than home and work where individuals spend their time freely, away from the formal constraints of work and the emotional and functional demands of home. Third spaces are arenas for the presence of effective social interactions and the expression of individual and collective creativity. This study employs a qualitative method, grounded theory approach, and in-depth interviews with 8 women who participate in coworking spaces. Coworking spaces have recently gained popularity in Iran, with many men and women engaging in work and activities there. The findings of this study reveal that women have transformed these spaces into professional networking environments and use them to navigate a male-dominated structure that limits women’s participation in professional activities. This indicates women’s agency in social spheresKeywords: Gender; Agency; Third Space; Coworking Space; Networking

This study aimed to examine the relationship between perceived family functioning, distress tolerance, and academic self-discipline, with the mediating role of mental vitality. The research method was correlational using structural equation modeling. The statistical population included all students at Imam Khomeini International University during the 2023-2024 academic year. A total of 260 students were selected as the study sample using cluster random sampling. Research instruments included the Family Functioning Questionnaire (Epstein et al., 1980), Academic Self-discipline Questionnaire (Afrooz, 2007), Distress Tolerance Scale (Simons & Gaher, 2005), and Mental Vitality Scale (Ryan & Frederick, 1997). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling in AMOS 24 software. The findings indicated that the conceptual model had good fit indices. Examination of direct pathways showed that family functioning and distress tolerance were significantly related to academic self-discipline. Furthermore, analysis of indirect pathways revealed that mental vitality mediates the relationship between academic self-discipline and both family functioning and distress tolerance. The results suggest that students' academic self-discipline can be enhanced by improving their perceptions of family functioning, increasing their distress tolerance, and fostering their mental vitality.

Projecting an Islamic-Iranian balanced family model is a way of dealing with the domestic problems in the existing Iranian families. As a strategic theoretical basis, this can be best undertaken by the national media (TV and radio), which serve as a major subcategory of the cultural system of the country and a pervasive source of informatics and awareness-raising. In this regard, the present study seeks to examine the application of the Islamic-Iranian balanced family model advertised in the national media. The study is a qualitative one conducted on the basis of the grounded theory. In the first step, the national policy statements of the Islamic Republic of Iran and those of the national media are examined in the field of family. In the second step, structured and semi-structured interviews are performed with seven senior experts and executives of the national media so as to find practical ways of creating a balanced family and identify the challenges involved in the presentation of the corresponding model. To deal with these challenges, certain solutions are also recommended. Future research in this field may focus on how applied the balanced family model is in the TV and radio programs and then compare the results with the findings on the media in other countries.