Trends in Endorsement of Developmental Idealism Concerning Marriage and Family in Yazd, Iran

In this paper, we examine recent trends in the endorsement of developmental perceptions concerning family and demographic behaviors and assess the extent to which developmental ideas have spread in Iran over time. Data from a two-wave panel study carried out in 2007 and in 2010/2011 are used to examine trends in the endorsement of developmental ideals. Data were collected among a sample of women in the city of Yazd, Iran. In the first round, respondents were selected using a probability sample of 548 married and 155 unmarried women aged 15-59. In the second wave, a total of 510 respondents were successfully re-interviewed along with 43 unmarried women who were selected in a replacement strategy.
Findings indicate that many elements of developmental idealism have been widely disseminated in Yazd, Iran and that the endorsement of the developmental idealism response generally increased over a relatively short period of time. Although, supports to some elements of developmental idealism remained stable or even slightly declined, results indicate that in most cases, there is a trend towards more acceptance and support for developmental idealism in Iran.
Future research is needed to examine the consequences of developmental idealism beliefs on family behaviors.