Values, Attitudes, and Norms of Afghan Mothers' Parenting; A Phenomenological Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

2 Corresponding Author, Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the values, attitudes, and norms of parenting among Afghan mothers residing in Herat city.
Method: This qualitative research was conducted using a phenomenological approach. The sample consisted of 25 mothers with children aged 3 to 5 years, who were selected from among all mothers residing in Herat city using purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was reached through semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method and validated based on participatory review and expert feedback.
Findings: Data analysis identified three main themes, 11 sub-themes, and 38 primary concepts or meanings.
Conclusion: The results indicated that the attitudes, values, and norms of Afghan mothers, in addition to sharing commonalities with similar research in other societies, possess unique characteristics that reflect the specific religious, cultural, and social influences of this country. Belief in religious values and principles, coupled with an emphasis on education and academic progress, hard work, and contentment, demonstrates a blend of traditional values and modern attitudes. Norms such as respect for parents and elders, paternal authority, and the prohibition of leaving home alone reflect the influence of family structures, social issues, and sometimes security concerns.

Highlights

Introduction

According to Russell et al. (2010), the foundation of the parent-child relationship begins with parenting. Parenting refers to a set of behaviors, attitudes, emotions, and responses of an adult towards a child, the goal of which is to facilitate the child's development in a safe environment. Parenting is initially done to ensure the child's survival and then to ensure their autonomous functioning (Reder, Duncan & Lucey, 2003). Parents' cognitive system influences how they respond to children's behaviors and, in broader aspects of parenting, specifically in their behaviors and interactions with their children (Goodnow & Collins, 1990), such that parents act based on these beliefs and cognitions even more than their feelings would dictate, shaping their interaction patterns with their children (Bornstein & Cheah, 2006; Darling & Steinberg, 2000). A review of the research literature indicates that numerous studies have been conducted on parenting styles and strategies and their relationship with physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development (Bornstein & Cheah, 2006). Culture profoundly impacts parental cognitions of parenting, such as ideas, awareness, values, goals, and attitudes (Bornstein & Cheah, 2006), and parents' parenting behaviors are indirectly influenced by their culture (Bartkowski et al., 2008). Values (Rad, 1382///), attitudes (Eagly & Chaiken, 1993; Eagly & Chaiken, 1998; Atkinson et al., 1370///), and norms (Schwartz, 2012; Smelser, 2001; Bagheri, 2014) are influential cognitive components in parenting. Afghanistan is a country with ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity, where the family is recognized as the primary unit of society and plays a significant role in transmitting values and norms. The situation of prolonged wars, insecurity, and economic challenges has profoundly affected the upbringing structure of families (Barfield, 2010). Herat, as one of Afghanistan's most historical and cultural cities, adheres to traditional, religious, and cultural values. Given the importance of the age stage of 3 to 5 years and the mothers' role in shaping personality and transmitting values, the present study was conducted with the aim of identifying parenting components from the perspective of mothers in Herat and answering the question: What are the values, attitudes, and norms of parenting among Herati mothers?

Method

The research was conducted using a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and data analysis was performed using Colaizzi's seven-step method. The population included all Afghan mothers residing in Herat city with children aged 3 to 5 years. Sampling was conducted conveniently until theoretical saturation was reached, and 25 mothers participated in the study. The criteria for classifying primary meanings, sub-themes, and main themes were based on the mothers' perceptions and perspectives of parenting components, and specific theoretical foundations or results from past research did not interfere with this process. Participatory review and feedback from research colleagues were used for validation (Creswell, 2007). Interviews were conducted in a calm environment with the participants' consent, and the duration of each interview varied between 20 and 35 minutes. Participants were from the middle class; 9 were employed and 16 were homemakers, aged 23 to 45, and had varying educational levels.

Results

From the total interviews, 38 primary meanings were extracted, categorized into 11 sub-themes and 3 main themes. The first main theme, "values", included five sub-themes: religiosity, moral and human principles, social responsibilities, personal development and progress, and order and life management, with eighteen primary meanings: adherence to religious principles and values, performing religious duties and prayers such as Salat and fasting, honesty, kindness, politeness, acceptance and respect for differences, respect for parents and elders, obedience to parents, responsibility, law-abidingness, helping others, adherence to national customs and traditions, goal-setting and planning, education and academic progress, adaptability to circumstances, contentment, order and cleanliness, and saving. The highest frequencies were related to adherence to religious principles and values and education and academic progress (20 frequencies), politeness (19 frequencies), and adherence to national customs and traditions (18 frequencies), while the lowest frequency was related to order and cleanliness (5 frequencies). The second main theme, "attitudes," included two sub-themes: psychological attitudes and social attitudes, and twelve primary meanings: self-esteem, assertiveness, discretion, self-sufficiency, creativity, hard work, intellectual and emotional independence, empathy, amiability, eloquence, ability to say no, and expression of feelings and emotions. The highest frequencies were related to assertiveness and amiability (11 frequencies), and the lowest frequency was related to the expression of feelings and emotions (3 frequencies). The third main theme, "norms," included four sub-themes: religious regulations, moral standards, social customs, and self-care, and eight primary meanings: Islamic hijab, modesty, not lying, not being aggressive or cursing, paternal authority and headship in the home, not addressing parents and elders informally ("you"), not playing with the opposite gender, and not leaving the house alone. Among these meanings, hijab had the highest frequency (11 frequencies), and not playing with the opposite gender had the lowest frequency (5 frequencies). The results showed that values play a fundamental role in mothers' cognitive system; religiosity, with the highest frequency, indicates the central role of religion. Education and academic progress, alongside religious values, were important priorities for mothers. Politeness and adherence to customs indicated the importance of social norms. The low frequency of order and cleanliness indicated the lower priority of this concept in Afghanistan's critical conditions. In attitudes, assertiveness and amiability indicated an emphasis on self-confidence and desirable social behavior, and the low frequency of emotional expression pointed to cultural limitations. In norms, hijab held a central position, and not playing with the opposite gender showed a more limited impact compared to other regulations.

Conclusions

The present study revealed that adherence to religious principles and values, performing religious duties and worship such as Salat and fasting, and Islamic hijab are of high importance and acceptance in the view of Herati mothers. These findings are consistent with the results of studies by Sozo (2007), Garf et al. (2014), Azad Armaki (2010), and Helisaz et al. (2020). The prevalence of a collectivist perspective in the views of Herati mothers, with the valuing of concepts such as politeness, kindness, honesty, helping others, and adherence to customs, aligns with the results of Hofstede's (2001) research. Respect for parents was similar to the results of Mitter and George (2003), Helisaz et al. (2020), Jalili (2020), and Ramezani (2020). Paternal authority and headship in the home were linked to the prevailing patriarchy in Afghan society. Individual values such as responsibility, law-abidingness, contentment, goal-setting and planning, education, and academic progress were also prominent and consistent with the findings of Madanipour et al. (2010). The emphasis on hard work, contentment, and saving was linked to Afghanistan's critical economic conditions and reports by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the World Food Programme (WFP). Considering going out alone as abnormal was attributed to the security crisis and the report by the Human Rights Network (2023). In summary, the attitudes, values, and norms of Herati mothers, in addition to sharing commonalities with other societies, possess unique characteristics influenced by Afghanistan's culture, religion, and social conditions, and the results can serve as a basis for cultural, educational, and social policymaking.

 

Authors' Contributions

All authors participated equally in the design of the study, writing the article, and editing the final versions.

Data Availability Statement
Data available on request from the authors.

Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude for the academic and spiritual support from the Faculty of Psychology at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, as well as for the cooperation and assistance provided by the officials and directors of cultural and educational centers in Herat city, Afghanistan, during the qualitative phase of the research.

Ethical Considerations

Cases such as falsification of data, distortion of results, plagiarism, and any other unethical behavior have been strictly avoided in this study. The authors emphasize that all ethical principles have been observed in conducting and publishing this research. This has been confirmed by all authors.

Funding

This study was conducted without receiving any financial support from government, commercial, or non-profit organizations.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest in connection with this study. In other words, there were no financial or personal interests that could affect the results of the study.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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