{
  "abstract": "Introduction: The increase in single-child families is one of the significant demographic shifts in most countries, including Iran. These families often face challenges and social issues. Objective: This study aimed to explore the challenges of single-child families in Iran from the perspective of parents. Materials and Methods: This is a qualitative study conducted from August 2023 to January 2024, using a content analysis approach. Participants were 16 couples with only one child in Ahvaz, south of Iran. Sampling was done using the snowball method until data saturation was reached through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Data analysis followed the method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. To ensure the trustworthiness of the data, Lincoln and Guba’s four criteria were used. Results: Mothers were aged 30-41 years, and fathers were aged 36-47 years. In terms of education status, both parents mostly had high school diploma or university degrees. Based on the data analysis, from 138 codes, 9 sub-themes and three themes of “social challenges” (sub-themes were: child’s social incompatibility, child’s tendency to be alone, negative attitude of society towards only children), “parental challenges” (sub-themes were: parents’ strict rules, child’s high financial expectations, interference from others in parenting), and “psycho-emotional challenges” (sub-themes were: worry about the child’s future, worry about the child’s and own loneliness, high dependence of the child on parents) emerged. Conclusion: Parents with only one child in Iran face different challenges. Understanding these challenges can help take proactive steps to address them effectively and play a role in family planning decisions, potentially influencing some parents to consider expanding their family sizes.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Professor, Reproductive Health Promotion Research Center, Department of Midwifery, Nursing and Midwifery School, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.",
    "PhD. Candidate in Midwifery, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.",
    "Parvin Esfandiarinezhad PhD. Candidate in Midwifery, Student Research Committee, Department of Midwifery, Nursing and Midwifery School, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.",
    "Student in General medicine, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran."
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Mina Iravani"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Leila Bozorgian"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Parvin Esfandiarinezhad"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Bahar Amirgholami"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1jvf9tzcx638c.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": null,
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "1jvf9tzcx638c",
  "issns": [
    "2588-3712",
    "2588-3720"
  ],
  "landing_url": null,
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "lcc",
      "RT1-120"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "http://hnmj.gums.ac.ir/article-1-2477-en.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-01",
  "publisher": "Guilan University of Medical Sciences",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1jvf9tzcx638c.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T13:44:39Z",
      "native_id": "1eda1f993b664eb39ec34b419586e884",
      "source": "doaj",
      "url": null
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "lcc:RT1-120",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Investigating the Challenges of One-child Families in Iran From the perspective of Parents: A Qualitative Study",
  "title_text": "Investigating the Challenges of One-child Families in Iran From the perspective of Parents: A Qualitative Study",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-31T14:20:21Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1jvf9tzcx638c",
  "venue": "Journal of Holistic Nursing and Midwifery",
  "versions": []
}