Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Understanding the rationales behind childbearing: A qualitative study based on extended theory of planned behavior

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Babak Moeini
. Amir Erfani 1
. Majid Barati 2
. Amin Doosti‑Irani 3
. Hatam Hosseini 4
. Mokhtar Soheylizad 5

1 Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Nipissing University, Ontario, Canada

2 Department of Public Health, School of Health, Autism Spectrum Disorders Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran

3 Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Research Center for Health Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran

4 Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Bu‑Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Nipissing University, Ontario, Canada

5 Department of Public Health, School of Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Childbearing is the most important determinant of population fluctuations and its 
studies are more important than other population phenomena. Many factors are associated with 
childbearing, but individual factors associated with it have been less studied in a specific framework. 
The present study aimed to explore and identify the factors related to childbearing based on extended 
theory of planned behavior (ETPB).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted among married women <35 years 
of age and married men whose spouses were under 35 years of age and lived in the City of Hamadan, 
Iran, in 2019. The data were collected by semistructured and face‑to‑face in‑depth interviews and 
continued until the data saturation was reached. Overall, 15 interviews were conducted with 17 
people. The data were analyzed, using a directed content analysis approach.
RESULTS: The data analysis resulted in the extraction of 28 main codes, 9 subcategories, and 4 
themes, which were correspond to constructs of the theory, consisting of attitudes, subjective norms, 
perceived behavioral control, and social support in the field of childbearing. The main predictors were 
attitude toward childbearing and perceived control.
CONCLUSION: The findings of this study showed that ETPB has a potential to explain the intention 
and behavior of childbearing. The ETPB makes it possible to understand many of the factors 
associated with childbearing. The results of this study could be the basis for designing appropriate 
data collection instrument in quantitative studies and vast surveys.

Keywords

Health
population
qualitative research
reproductive behavior

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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 12, Issue 4
April 2022
Pages 1-9

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