The relationship between social factors and the desire for multiple children based on religious and national perceptions among women

Tavassoli, Afsaneh; Omidi, Fatemeh

doi:10.22083/scsj.2025.506901.1260

The relationship between social factors and the desire for multiple children based on religious and national perceptions among women

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Afsaneh Tavassoli

Fatemeh Omidi

Department of Women and Family Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

10.22083/scsj.2025.506901.1260

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between social factors and the desire for multiple children based on religious and national perceptions among Iranian women. The statistical population included married women aged 18 to 45 with at least three children, who were surveyed through a mixed sampling method (purposive and snowball) via an online questionnaire (N=477). Findings revealed that perceptions of religious recommendations (with agreement rates of 72.7-78.4%) were the strongest predictor of multiple children, while ethnic norms had the least influence (10.7% agreement). Path analysis indicated that health patterns (β=0.183) and virtual activity (β=0.143) reinforced religious perceptions, whereas education weakened fatalistic beliefs (β=−0.193). Political discourse, with 58.7% agreement, played a complementary role to religion in encouraging childbearing. The study concludes that in Iran, population policies should focus on redefining religious discourse (not merely ethnic narratives), and media should promote responsible multi-child parenting through health-oriented content. . . . .

Keywords

Religious perception

multi-child tendency

ethnic norm

national perception

Iranian women

Subjects