An Analysis of Family Values for Iranian Rural Youth: A Case Study of Isfahan Province

During the recent decades, a set of economic, social, and cultural developments occurred in Iran has changed family structure and values in value system of Iranian urban and rural societies in different aspects. This research aims at identifying the most important family values in viewpoint of the rural youth as well as primary determinants of such values. Statistical population includes rural residents of Isfahan province aged between 18 and 30 years; and a survey method is used in the research. To collect field data, 544 young people were interviewed, who had been screened using a multi-stage sampling method. The family values might be assumed in various aspects the most significant of which, for the rural youth, include: forming a family, suitable ages of marriage, main dimensions of a family, an ideal number of children, criteria of spouse selection, decision-making in a family, independence of a woman in family, and a value generation gap. Factors directly effective on the family values are: life satisfaction, gender, educational level, use of mass media, and climatic conditions; while a number of factors indirectly influence on the family values, which include: age, connection with urban centers, village accessibility, marital status, and economic situation.