A Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experiences of Mothers Parenting Children Aged 3 to 6 in Bafq County, Yazd
Objective: To explore the lived experiences, stressors, and coping strategies of mothers parenting preschool-aged children (3–6 years) in semi-rural Bafq County, Yazd Province, Iran.
Methods and Materials: We conducted a qualitative study using a descriptive phenomenological approach. Purposive sampling recruited mothers with preschool children from local health centers. Twenty-two participants completed semi-structured, in-depth interviews (60–90 minutes). Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with Colaizzi’s seven-step method (1978). Rigor was enhanced through member checking, expert/peer review, and methodological triangulation; two independent coders achieved inter-rater agreement (κ≈0.85).
Findings: Analysis yielded ~200 initial codes condensed to 83 validated codes, organized into nine subthemes under three overarching themes: (1) Distressing/Traumatic Parenting Experiences (fear, anxiety, helplessness, shame, psychological distress); (2) Growth-Oriented Parenting Experiences (parental aspirations, achievements, and satisfaction signifying personal growth alongside the child); and (3) Dominant Parenting Strategies, encompassing effective (acceptance, role-modeling, confidence, flexibility, problem-solving, religious coping) and ineffective approaches (impulsivity, poor communication, inconsistency, perfectionism, emotional withdrawal). Quotations illustrated both burden and meaning-making in motherhood within constraints of traditional gender roles, limited services, and geographic isolation in Bafq.
Conclusion: Mothers in Bafq experience a dual reality of strain and growth. Context-sensitive supports—such as community-based parenting groups, spousal communication workshops, and accessible mental-health services (including telehealth)—may bolster resilience and optimize child outcomes. Future work should include diverse rural settings and longer-term follow-up to examine change over time.
Downloads
Aarntzen, L., Derks, B., van Steenbergen, E., & van der Lippe, T. (2023). When work-family guilt becomes a women's issue: Internalized gender stereotypes predict high guilt in working mothers but low guilt in working fathers. Br J Soc Psychol, 62(1), 12-29. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12575
Abidin, F. A., Yudiana, W., & Fadilah, S. H. (2022). Parenting Style and Emotional Well-Being Among Adolescents: The Role of Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Frustration. Front Psychol, 13, 901646. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.901646
Ardakani, R. J. (2019). Analysis of social psychological effects (job security and quality of work life) on increasing job satisfaction of saffron farmers in Bafgh city. https://doi.org/10.22048/jsat.2018.95424.1253
Behboodi Moghadam, Z., Ordibeheshti Khiaban, M., Esmaeili, M., & Salsali, M. (2017). Motherhood challenges and well-being along with the studentship role among Iranian women: A qualitative study. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 12(1), 1335168. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2017.1335168
Brown, M., Whiting, J., Kahumoku‐Fessler, E., Witting, A. B., & Jensen, J. (2020). A dyadic model of stress, coping, and marital satisfaction among parents of children with autism. Family Relations, 69(1), 138-150. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12375
Doinita, N. E., & Maria, N. D. (2015). Attachment and parenting styles. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 203, 199-204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.08.282
Dong, S., Dong, Q., Chen, H., & Yang, S. (2022). Mother’s parenting stress and marital satisfaction during the parenting period: examining the role of depression, solitude, and time alone. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 847419. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.847419
Frosch, C. A., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & O’Banion, D. D. (2021). Parenting and child development: A relational health perspective. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 15(1), 45-59. https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276198490
Hosseini, S. J., Ramezani, M., Ashrafzadeh, F., & Jamali, J. (2024). Motivation in caregiving among mothers of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Iran: A qualitative study. BMC Pediatr, 24(1), 472. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-04957-y
Jannati, N., Farokhzadian, J., & Ahmadian, L. (2021). The Experience of Healthcare Professionals Providing Mental Health Services to Mothers with Postpartum Depression: A qualitative study. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J, 21(4), 554-562. https://doi.org/10.18295/squmj.4.2021.031
Jeong, J., Franchett, E. E., Ramos de Oliveira, C. V., Rehmani, K., & Yousafzai, A. K. (2021). Parenting interventions to promote early child development in the first three years of life: A global systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Med, 18(5), e1003602. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003602
Jones, J. D., Cassidy, J., & Shaver, P. R. (2015). Parents’ self-reported attachment styles: A review of links with parenting behaviors, emotions, and cognitions. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 19(1), 44-76. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868314541858
Lanjekar, P. D., Joshi, S. H., Lanjekar, P. D., & Wagh, V. (2022). The effect of parenting and the parent-Child relationship on a Child's cognitive development: a literature review. Cureus, 14(10). 10.7759/cureus.30574
Le, B. M., & Impett, E. A. (2019). Parenting goal pursuit is linked to emotional well-being, relationship quality, and responsiveness. Journal of social and Personal Relationships, 36(3), 879-904. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407517747417
Mangeli, M., Rayyani, M., Cheraghi, M. A., & Tirgari, B. (2017). Exploring the challenges of adolescent mothers from their life experiences in the transition to motherhood: a qualitative study. Journal of family & reproductive health, 11(3), 165.
Mangeli, M., Rayyani, M., Cheraghi, M. A., & Tirgari, B. (2017). Exploring the Challenges of Adolescent Mothers From Their Life Experiences in the Transition to Motherhood: A Qualitative Study. J Family Reprod Health, 11(3), 165-173.
Mengxia, L. (2024). Preschoolers’ cognitive flexibility and emotion understanding: a developmental perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1280739. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1280739
Meriem, C., Khaoula, M., Ghizlane, C., Asmaa, M. A., & Ahmed, A. O. (2020). Early childhood development (0-6 years old) from healthy to pathologic: A review of the literature. Open Journal of Medical Psychology, 9(03), 100. 10.4236/ojmp.2020.93009
Mistry, R., Stevens, G. D., Sareen, H., De Vogli, R., & Halfon, N. (2007). Parenting-related stressors and self-reported mental health of mothers with young children. Am J Public Health, 97(7), 1261-1268. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2006.088161
Nimphy, C. A., Mitrou, V., Elzinga, B. M., Van der Does, W., & Aktar, E. (2024). The Role of Parental Verbal Threat Information in Children’s Fear Acquisition: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Clinical child and family psychology review, 1-18. 10.1007/s10567-024-00485-4
Novianti, R., Suarman, & Islami, N. (2023). Parenting in cultural perspective. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 10(1), 22-44. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/1287
Park, G. A., & Lee, O. N. (2022). The Moderating Effect of Social Support on Parental Stress and Depression in Mothers of Children with Disabilities. Occup Ther Int, 2022, 5162954. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/5162954
Prime, H., Andrews, K., Markwell, A., Gonzalez, A., Janus, M., Tricco, A. C., Bennett, T., & Atkinson, L. (2023). Positive Parenting and Early Childhood Cognition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev, 26(2), 362-400. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-022-00423-2
Rachmad, Y. E., Agnesiana, B., Sukmawati, E., Ramli, A., & Zebua, R. S. Y. (2023). The analysis of parenting patterns in instilling morals of early childhood. Journal of Childhood Development, 3(1), 13-21.
van den Hurk, S. The relations between the parent-child relationship quality and fear of failure, self-esteem, and perceived competence in children: Gender as a moderator.
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Body, Mind and Culture
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
