Investigating the Familial Lived Experiences of Iranian living in Canada

This study aimed to investigate the familial lived experiences of Iranian living in Canada. In 2019, 16 Iranians living in Canada who were at least 18 years old and resided for one year were selected by purposive sampling method and in-depth interviews were conducted. The study design was qualitative using semi-structured interview and observation method and analysis was performed by grounded theory approach through method of open, axial, and selective coding among the basic concepts of 57open codes, 5 axial codes (family avoidance, intergenerational gap, separation, new challenges, and self-actualization) and 2 selective codes (deconstructionism, independence, and individual growth) were selected. The findings showed that a set of conditions such as the type of behavior of immigrant families in the past and the difference between lifestyles and attitudes of generations can damage the intergenerational relationship and make people avoid the family structure. On the other hand, experiences of being away from home, can deepen people’s attitudes toward life, and can be significant in the development of their personality and independence in their life decisions.