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Purpose: This paper explores the challenges of conducting qualitative research from ELT (English Language Teaching) Ph.D. candidates' perspectives. Design/methodology/approach: The participants of the study consisted of 30 Iranian Ph.D. students majoring in ELT. The semi-structured interview was employed to investigate the heart of experiences, issues and concerns of participants with regard to conducting qualitative research (QLR) challenges. To analyze the collected data, the recorded interviews were transcribed, and then the grounded theory approach was employed (Charmaz, 2006). Findings: The results revealed that the major challenges of the participants consist of the credibility of QLR in ELT contexts, hermeneutic and fuzzy nature of QLR, qualitative data analysis and interpretation, publishing qualitative findings and the system of measuring professors' productivity. Originality/value: The findings may help professors, mainly EFL ones, in research mentoring and developing research syllabi for graduate students. In addition, it may motivate Ph.D. candidates to employ QLR methods in their research studies. The pedagogical and theoretical implications of the study are discussed at the end of the paper.

This article describes a qualitative study that investigated critical reflection in the hope that effective learning is objectified. It is the fruit of rumination on how critical reflection approach would affect learners' performance in narrative writing. The idea for this paper arose when the researchers consistently utilized ploys effective for five EFL students' learning of narrative writing in critical reflection process in an institute. Later, these ploys were categorized in three themes under three categories in teaching narrative writing. Data were gathered via students' reflective writings. Gathered data were interpreted in the real setting by small scale grounded theory analysis. The final upshot demonstrated the criticality of students' thoughts in their paper. The findings reveal the significance of optimal rapport and intimacy in which participants move ahead from mechanical learning to more cooperative approach in language learning with thorough reflection in their narrations for effective learning to take place.

Perceptual (mis)matches between teachers and learners are said to affect learning success or failure. Self-assessment, as a formative assessment tool, may, inter alia, be considered a means to minimize such mismatches. Therefore, the present study investigated the extent to which learners' assessment of their own speaking performance, before and after their being provided with a list of agreed-upon scoring criteria followed by a practice session, matches that of their teachers. In so doing, 29 EFL learners and six EFL teachers served as participants; the learners were asked to assess their audio-recorded speaking performance before and after their being provided with the scoring criteria and practice session. The teachers were also asked to assess the learners' performance according to the same criteria. Finally, the learners were required to evaluate the effectiveness of doing self-assessment in the form of reflection papers. The results revealed a significant difference between the learners' assessment of their own speaking ability on the two occasions. The findings also suggested that providing the learners with the scoring criteria and the follow-up practice session minimized the existing mismatches between learner assessment and teacher assessment. Moreover, the inductive analysis of the reflection papers yielded a number of themes suggesting that, despite some limitations, the learners' overall evaluation of the effectiveness of speaking self-assessment was positive.

During the last three decades in Iran, the government has had different policies on the privatization of education. After victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the new government closed all private schools for nearly a decade. Establishing and reopening Non-Governmental Schools (NGS) was the first action toward the privatization of education after the end of the war with Iraq in 1988. In recent years, there has been an increasing trend among owners of NGS toward closing their schools. This paper investigates factors influencing the closure of NGS through in-depth interviews with three groups: owners of active NGS, officers in the NGS Office, and owners of non-active NGS. The paper starts with an introduction, which is followed by the methodology of the research. The third section presents the findings of interviews. More specifically, this paper analyzes Iran's different strategies concerning the privatization of education based on Klein's Model. The paper ends with the conclusions.

This paper investigates attitudes towards death and the social factors that influence them among a sample of residents in Tehran, Iran. Using grounded theory and anchoring our analysis in the meaning of death (what people think happens after death), we were able to conceptualise three broad worldviews on death, which were then further refined into nine attitudes. Our research highlights socio-economic status as a factor potentially shaping people's attitudes towards death. A large group of our respondents, mainly among less affluent groups, think about death daily, while many among the more affluent and the educated middle class prefer to avoid thoughts of death. Our study in a Muslim majority setting in the Middle East contributes to the existing literature on attitudes towards death by going beyond simple typologies, such as western versus eastern, traditional versus modern, religious versus secular, denial versus acceptance, to show that the diversity of attitudes towards death can both incorporate and transcend all of these dichotomies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study aimed to explore Iranian women's life stories living with compulsive sexual behaviour. Data were collected between 2014 and 2016 in two cities. Forty‐four semi‐structured interviews were conducted by using theoretical sampling and constant comparative analysis. Four thematic categories were constructed from the data, including "scars left on the spirit and mind,"; "bizarre beliefs regarding sexuality and gender,"; "compensation for emptiness and the loss,"; and "difficulty in emotional regulation." This paper shows how abusive patterns of relationships in childhood could lead to sexual compulsivity. The paper results can direct our attention to the importance of health and social care and training to recognise abusive situations and support these children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) is a rare genetic disorder, associated with some physical symptoms including spots and tiny bumps on the skin, and internal organ involvement. People suffering from neurofibromatosis face various challenges in their daily lives. However, there is little understanding on how patients deal with neurofibromatosis. This study aimed to investigate the life challenges of patients with NF1. Methods: This qualitative study was performed by implementing a grounded theory with the cooperation of the Society for Neurofibromatosis Patients over the course of 15 months in 2019 across 4 provinces in Iran. Twenty‐four patients with NF1 were interviewed. An analysis was performed using the constant comparative method. Findings: The results of the analyses indicated that the major concern of the NF1 patients was feelings of failure and falling behind in life. In the face of failure in life in such a context, patients used the main strategy of "unsuccessful struggle to escape" the disease and its complications, which was represented itself in the forms of 'hopelessness and impatience', 'suicidal thoughts and unsuccessful suicide attempts', 'isolation and seclusion', 'expressing complaints and grievances to God', 'hiding the disease' and 'hopelessness and refusing to receive care'. The implementation of such strategies helped patients reduce tension and achieve a temporary, though vulnerable and fragile, sense of relief and peace. Conclusion: Given an unfavourable life condition, NF1 patients turned to a harmful passive strategy in the face of the challenges posed by the disease. Patient or Public Contribution: Public contributors were active partners throughout, and co‐authored the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subjective well-being (SWB) has been widely found to have a profound impact on the individual, yet the process of its occurrence in public organizations remains unexplored. So the primary purpose of this paper is to explore the determining factors affecting the process of employee's subjective well-being in public organizations using mixed methods research. Qualitative analysis using the grounded theory methodology reveals the effective factors that affect the process of employee's subjective well-being in public organizations. Quantitative hypotheses are then developed based on a qualitative investigation. Survey data were collected from employees of public organizations in one of the provinces of Iran. Analysis of Moment Structure is used for data analysis. The results of the research revealed that both individual and organizational factors (as causal factors) influence the employees' subjective well-being process (life satisfaction and positive affect). This phenomenon leads to the use of strategies which are affected by intervening and contextual factors. The consequences of this process are to change the attitude and behavior of individuals and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. This paper is among the first known to examine subjective well-being in public organizations using mixed methods research. The mixed methods approach offers a better insight to understanding effective factors affecting subjective well-being compared to the use of either a qualitative or quantitative method alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Marketing & Management of Innovations / Marketing ì Menedžment Ìnnovacìj is the property of Sumy State University, Department of Marketing & Management of Innovative Activity and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

When a preterm neonate is born and needs to be taken care of in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the mother experiences a different process of mothering. A grounded theory study was conducted to explore the maternal role attainment in mothers of preterm infants. The authors of this paper report the most prominent experience of Iranian mothers with preterm neonates during their stay in the NICU that emerged as part of the process of maternal role attainment. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with mothers in the NICU. We found four categories as emerged from experiences that formed the concept of "emotional disorganization". We argue that these findings can help caregivers and nurses to provide sensitive and supportive care to mothers of preterm neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Leadership is the ability to influence, guide and encourage employees to achieve organizational goals. Leadership has a significant role in organizations' success or failure. Thus, this paper aims to develop a model to elucidate leadership practices in the Iranian health-care organizations (HCOs). Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative approach was used in this study due to its explorative nature. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 key managers and 30 professionals working at different HCOs. Inductive analysis was carried out using the grounded theory approach to develop an initial leadership model for HCOs. The proposed model subsequently was verified by an experts' panel. Findings: The proposed leadership model emerged from the Iranian HCOs encompasses six main categories: leader, followers, high-ups and peers, context, processes and outcomes. Leader, followers and contexts as main categories did also have further sub-categories. Research limitations/implications: Study findings are cautiously transferrable as it reflects the Iranian context. While the model was verified, it might still benefit from more and diverse views. Practical implications: This model can be used by health-care policymakers and managers for improving managers' leadership competencies and practices and enhancing health outcomes through motivating and mobilizing health-care resources toward achieving organizational goals. Originality/value: This study aims to give an answer for "what is the current status of leadership in Iranian HCOs?" and "how can we reinforce the strengths and address the weaknesses?" [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social inequities in the healthcare system threaten global health. Efforts to establish equity in healthcare is a key goal of healthcare systems worldwide. Social justice is a basic value of the nursing profession that always merits attention. Objective: This study aimed to identify and explain the processes of the nursing profession's participation in establishing social justice in healthcare system. Research design and methods: This qualitative study was conducted using the grounded theory method. Participants and research context: Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured, individual interviews with 26 participants, 23 of whom were members of the nursing profession. Sampling started purposefully and, then, continued with theoretical sampling. Field notes were also taken for data collection. Data analysis was performed using Corbin and Strauss' 2015 method. Ethical considerations: The research was approved by the Ethics Committee of Urmia University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Findings: The "Professional Dynamics in the Path of Justice" was the study's core category. This theory is the result of nine main categories: "inefficient professional authority," "social justice, a neglected component in education," "clinical concerns, barriers to nurses' presence in society," "individual input reserves to facilitate social justice," "inadequate maturity of the profession in the path of equity in health," "promoting justice in clinical practice," "a tendency to community-oriented profession," "use of personal approaches for justice promotion," and "emerging justice-expanding nursing." These categories cover the underlying factors, strategies, and outcomes of the nursing profession's participation in establishing social justice process in healthcare. Conclusion: The theory of professional dynamics in the path of justice can be used as a practical guide to describe the role of nurses in establishing social justice. Further studies with a quantitative approach to applying this theory are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify barriers to seeking help among abused Iranian women.Design/methodology/approach This qualitative research was carried out using content analysis approach. The participants were 24 married women who were selected from health care centers, recreational centers, and two universities in Tehran, Iran. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data.Findings During data analysis, four themes emerged that explained barriers to seeking help in the participants: “fear of negative consequences of help-seeking,” “lack of resources,” “beliefs and attitudes,” and “indirect experiences of not being supported.”Originality/value This study has practice and policy implications for promoting help-seeking among abused women. Based on the results, to promote help-seeking, intervention plans must focus on empowering women to improve their education and employment, eliminating attitudes and beliefs hindering help-seeking, and fortifying formal and informal support systems for abused women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer recurrence is an important care challenge for breast cancer survivors. It is necessary to understand and identify the barriers and facilitators that affect the decision to start retreatment by those facing breast cancer recurrence compared to factors affecting their decision to start the initial treatment, which is different. Objectives: This study is part of a qualitative study with a grounded theory approach, which was conducted to explain the facilitating and inhibiting factors affecting the decision to start retreatment in survivors of breast cancer recurrence, using a qualitative content analysis method. Methods: This study was conducted based on the experiences of 16 patients with breast cancer recurrence and 2 oncologists to confirm the findings of the effective inhibiting and facilitating factors in patients' decisions to start retreatment for breast cancer recurrence in one of the hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The samples were selected, using the purposeful sampling method trying to have maximum diversity. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured telephone interviews from November 2020 to November 2021 and analyzed, using the conventional content analysis method following the Elo and Kyngas method, which includes 3 phases, including the preparation phase, the organizing phase, and the reporting phase. Credibility, transferability, dependability, confirmability, and authenticity were used for determining the trustworthiness of data. Results: Both groups of inhibiting and facilitating factors were divided into 5 categories, including individual factors, social factors, family factors, illness characteristics, and treatment-related factors. Also, each category included sub-categories in two groups of inhibiting and facilitating factors affecting the decision to start treatment again. Conclusions: Based on the results of the present study, it is necessary to increase the awareness of patients with breast cancer by the treatment staff about the possibility of recurrence and to know the factors influencing their decision-making process to start retreatment. Nurses should play the role of advisors, educators, and supporters of the patients in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The improvement of every administration and health system has always received assiduous attention. One of the processes that every system should pay attention to is empowerment. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the empowerment components of employees working in the Ilam Welfare Organization. Material & Methods: This applied research was conducted based on a qualitative approach and ground theory method in 2022-2023. The statistical population included professors and experts in the field of employee empowerment. Sampling was performed using the available and snowball method, and theoretical saturation was achieved with 15 cases. The interviewees of the research were 15 professors and experts in the field of employee empowerment who had the most experience in the research topic, and the data analysis was performed manually. Results:Based on the findings, 12 components and 24 subcomponents were identified in the field of empowerment of welfare organization employees, including individual skills, group skills and management (causal conditions), ethics, communication (contextual conditions), knowledge and improvement of the work environment (intervening conditions), managerial ability., moral ability, communication ability (strategies), promotion of service to employees, and the use of employees' potential capacities (consequences). Conclusion: Paying attention to skills and management at the individual and group level creates the possibility of employee empowerment in the welfare system. Necessary attention to knowledge and environment on the one hand and management and communication guidelines on the other hand provide the necessary platform and conditions for the growth of employees. The welfare organization will benefit from the effective result of empowerment when it uses its employees and their potential capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to make a qualitative assessment of the urban management practices in Mashhad, the second largest metropolis of Iran, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and identify challenges, current measures, and future actions. A grounded theory approach has been used. The data was collected using semi-structured interviews, and MAXQDA-12 software was used for the analysis. The results showed that Mashhad urban management practices have faced 11 main obstacles during this pandemic. Current measures and future actions are presented by taking into account the identified obstacles and challenges. The findings can help urban managers to make decisions based on strong evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a common mental health threat among youth and adolescents with various etiology factors. Extensive treatments have been proposed for this disorder, but there is a need for a therapeutic package with good efficiency and effectiveness. This study aimed to develop and validate a process-based therapeutic package for patients with NSSI disorder. Method: This was an applied study in terms of objective and qualitative in terms of data collection. The statistical population of the study consisted of psychology experts in Tehran, Iran in 2022. Twentythree effective university professors who worked in this domain were selected via purposive selection sampling. The design and validation of the program were performed in four stages and 14 steps: reviewing the theoretical background and existing packages, developing the content of the package, validating it, and explaining the validation. Results: Grounded theory as a qualitative method was used to conceptualize the content. Investigator triangulation facilitated the data validation. Percent agreement of inner raters and content validity index (CVI) were used for assessment reliability and validity. The reliability of the program based on the percent agreement of inner rater was 0.98; CVR and CVI of all the sessions were 0.93 and 0.99, respectively. Conclusion: This study proposed process-based therapy package for non-suicidal self-injury disorder that is a reliable and valid comprehensive psychological therapy. This package is suggested to be used by expert in this domain to enhance the effectiveness of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the diseases which is mostly affected by negative emotions. However, the context factors that leads to lack of positive valence in these patients is not clear. The current study aimed to identify the context factors in the lack of positive valence system in women suffering from breast cancer. Method: Research method was qualitative grounded theory and data was obtained from in-depth interviews with patients at the Motamed Jihad University Cancer Research Institute during 2022. Participants were voluntarily and purposefully selected and sampling continued until data saturation. At the end, 10 individuals participated. Data were coded in three levels according to the Strauss and Corbin method. Results: In relation to the positive valence system, we extracted three theoretical, nine axial and 24 open codes. The theoretical codes contained reward response (with axial codes of reward prediction, initial response to reward and reward saturation), reward learning (with axial codes of prediction error and reward habit) and reward valuation (with the axial codes of uncertainty of risk, delay in reward valuation, frustrated non-reward and attempt to value rewards). Theoretical, axial and open codes were evaluated by experts to obtain internal and structural validity as well as conceptual framework model and therapy protocol that were designed by extracted codes. Conclusion: The possibility of decreasing or increasing the incidence of cancer depends on the presence or absence of the positive valence system. The suggested therapy protocol represented that the positive valence factors enhancement might limit the possibility of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Regarding the dynamic and increasing needs of communities, changes in the education system are essential to train competent healthcare professionals. The study aimed to explore the experience of educational directors, teachers, and students to gain insight into the implementation of educational transformative programs. Method: A qualitative approach with the grounded theory method was applied in this study. Twenty-four participants were selected by using a purposive and theoretical sampling method. The data were collected from April 2019 to May 2020 in nursing schools of Tehran, through in-depth semi-structured individual face-to-face interviews and field notes. Collected data were analyzed by Corbin and Strauss's (2015) approach. Results: In this study, transformational leadership was extracted as the core concept. The core concept emerged from four sub-concepts including transformative management; educational policy requirements; providing a platform and community-centered education. Conclusions: Nurse educational directors need to achieve some competencies and capabilities for implementing transformative education in nursing schools. Also, achieving a transformative perspective by educational directors is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining a high level of adherence to antiretroviral therapy is a challenge among HIV/AIDS patients. The study aimed to explore the process of adherence to treatment with a grounded theory approach to help physicians and planners develop strategies to increase adherence to treatment. We conducted in‐depth interviews and a focus‐group discussion. The data were collected from 2016 to 2018. The participants were 39 HIV/AIDS patients treated with antiretroviral, their relatives (three people) and two treatment staff. The study was conducted at the Behavioural Counselling Center of Imam Khomeini Hospital, located in Tehran, the capital of Iran. The data were analysed at the stages of "analysis for concepts," "analysis for context," "bringing process into the analysis" and "integrating." We obtained a conceptual model to explain the relationship between the categories. "Motivation" was identified as the core variable and the "Becoming resilient" explained the adherence process. Several factors including the interfering factors, contextual factors and resilience factors were identified. The interfering and contextual factors, in the absence of the resilience factors, lead to decreased motivation and increased poor adherence to treatment. The role of motivation in long‐term adherence should be emphasised. We think strategies such as helping individuals with HIV/AIDS to form support networks, empowering and encouraging them to seek spiritual help will motivate them to maintain a long‐term use of antiretroviral medications and, hence, become more resilient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent times, parents have become increasingly concerned, both subjectively and objectively, about their adolescents' body height/weight growth. Parent-adolescent interactions about this issue and the potential socio-psychological consequences of such interactions should be considered as an important influencing factor on the future of adolescents' sexual and reproductive health. To achieve a greater understanding of such concerns, it is necessary to further elucidate parents' experiences on this topic, so as to expand the existing literature. This study aimed to explain the perceptions of parents' concerns regarding their adolescents' growth characteristics in the socio-cultural context of Iran as a transitional society. This paper is part of a larger qualitative study designed using the Constructivist Grounded Theory Methodology (CGTM). We conducted open-ended intensive interviews with eleven parents individually and recruited them through purposeful and theoretical sampling from a teaching hospital, community, and a primary school in Tehran with theoretical sampling variation in terms of teenagers' age, sex, and birth order, place of residence, parents' occupation and education, and the self-reported socio-economic status. Using the analytical procedures of the CGTM, we performed analyses. In the findings, the concept of 'living with constant sense of uncertainty' emerged from the subcategories including 'feeling existing and potential concern about expected minimum and maximum bio-positions of growth,' 'feeling potential concern about biological health consequences,' 'feeling potential concern about the emergence of early/late maturity signs,' 'feeling potential concern about adolescent's emotional threat,' 'feeling concerned about future employment, education, marriage, and fertility,' and 'feeling potential concern about the society's view'. These findings suggest that parents are living with a constant sense of uncertainty about their teens' growth characteristics throughout the transition from adolescence. All stakeholders including parents, health-care practitioners and policymakers, and anthropologists/sociologists should be focus on such concerns, in order to manage them and their possible socio-psychological burdens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jahanpour F, Sharif F, Salsali M, Kaveh MH, Williams LM. International Journal of Nursing Practice 2010; : 595-602 Clinical decision-making is the basis for professional nursing practice. This can be taught and learned through appropriate teaching and clinical experiences. Unfortunately, it has been observed that many graduates are unable to demonstrate suitable clinical decision-making skills. Research and study on the process of decision-making and factors influencing it assists educators to find the appropriate educational and clinical strategies to teach nursing students. To explore the experience of nursing students and their view points regarding the factors influencing their development of clinical decision-making skills. An exploratory qualitative approach utilizing grounded theory methods was used; focus group interviews were undertaken with 32 fourth year nursing students and data were analysed using constant comparative analysis. Four main themes emerged from the data: clinical instructor incompetency, low self-efficacy, unconducive clinical learning climate and experiencing stress. The data indicated that students could not make clinical decisions independently. The findings of this study support the need to reform aspects of the curriculum in Iran in order to increase theory-practice integration and prepare a conductive clinical learning climate that enhances learning clinical decision-making with less stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Iran is classified as a developing country,for Iranian women, the fertility process has changed from a biological behavior to a reflexive action, similar to the experience of developed countries. Their reflexivity as social actors has led to some changes in women's fertility preference interactively. The main theme of the current study is related to the lived experiences and perceptions of childbirth among fertile women according to the causal, intervening, and contextual conditions. The current research applies a qualitative approach by using the grounded theory method, and semistructured interviews on fertility's perspectives were conducted with 42 wives (living in Mashhad City, Iran and ranging from 15 to 49 years of age). Data analysis and interpretation were conducted through coding and comparison based on the Corbin and Strauss paradigm. A declining trend of fertility as an interclass pattern in a developing country such as Iran is inconsistent with what sociodemographic theories have proposed to date. The remarkable decline in fertility in Iran includes a decrease in the total fertility rate from 7 children per woman in 1986 to 2.0 in 2000 (Erfani and McQuillan in J Biosoc Sci 40(3):459–478, 2008). The interclass characteristic of fertility shows that cultural promotion, media advertisements, and top-down demographic policies regarding women's fertility are no longer effective in Iran. In addition, analysis of the fertility experience of women reveals that women's actions regarding childbearing differ from the lower class, with women facing economic challenges, to the upper class, with epistemic world-view challenges; in other words, owing to their world view, women in the upper class have reservations regarding fertility. The unwillingness to have children and the desire to have fewer children are the consequences of individualism, national identity crisis, lack of well-being, and perfectionist fertility, and affect the fertility's perspective of Iranian women in Mashhad City. The interclass feature of women's fertility reveals that this cannot be imputed to improved human development indices; there is a general reflexivity action in various types of fertility in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Challenges created by the simultaneous management of family and work among working women, especially married female managers with children are serious issues affecting all human societies, including Iran. Accordingly, the present study aimed to explore the realization of work-family enrichment based on the experiences of married female managers working in Parsian Bank. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using the grounded theory approach. The study participants were 22 female managers who were selected using purposive and theoretical sampling methods from the staff of Parsian Bank, in 2019. The necessary data were collected by semi-structured interviews. The collected data were analyzed using Strauss & Corbin open, axial, and selective coding method through constant comparison in MAXQDA. Results: The obtained results indicated that female managers employed several strategies, including instrumental strategies, problem-solving management strategies, emotion-related strategies, behavioral measures, and measures to improve personal development and growth for work-family enrichment. The factors facilitating work-family enrichment were self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, support, and environmental network. However, other factors, including socio-cultural characteristics, the challenges of family cultural context, the non-supportive culture of the organization, and the cultural challenges of society were barriers for work-family enrichment. This process led to job satisfaction and satisfaction with marital life among the examined female managers. The core variable manifested as "the multidimensional use of self to enrich work and family". Conclusion: The insights from this study added to the knowledge of work-family enrichment among female managers. Female managers and officials can use this model to better understand and manage family and work, concurrently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over the past hundred years, licensed practical nurses (LPN) have faced several challenges because of the changing situations in health care system. The current study addresses the role changing of LPNs in accordance with the context and new needs. Aims: This aim of situation analysis is to access what changes have occurred in the role of LPNs in the wake of changes in role of RNs over the past century and What factors and variables have influenced this process? Methods: This study used a Grounded Theory methodology called Situational Analysis. Data were collected through semistructured and in‐depth interviews with 33 nurse. Findings: Researchers identify six themes that focus on how the role of LPNs has been changing and variables have influenced this process. Conclusions: In Iran, as in other countries of the world, the role of LPNs comes to fore when there are pressing needs and nursing shortage. Iranian policymakers have decided to eliminate LPNs, Although LPNs in other countries are working in community‐based settings. Treatment‐oriented and self‐monitoring structure of the Iranian health care system, new nursing organizations and lack of clear role classification at the caring levels have made the nursing roles ambiguous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Menopause as a universal phenomenon is influenced by social norms so that women's experiences during menopausal transition are related to the social values and cultural symbols. This qualitative study was conducted to discover the Iranian women's experiences of encountering menopause.Materials and Methods: In this grounded theory study 27 women living in Mashhad and Gonabad, North East of Iran, from May 2013 to July, 2016 were selected using purposive and theoretical sampling. Semi structured in-depth interviews were conducted for data collection until data saturation was achieved. Data was analyzed using Strauss and Corbin's (1998) recommended method through open, axial and selective coding. MAXQDA 2007 software was used for organizing data and managing the process of analysis.Results: The analysis revealed the core category of "moving from uncertainty toward acceptance". The interrelated categories subsumed under the core category included challenging aging, observing the symptoms of menopause, responding to the menopausal symptoms, understanding the need for preparation, and assessing the right time to prepare.Conclusion: Moving from uncertainty toward acceptance was identified as the core concept in the Iranian women's experiences of encountering menopause. Modifying the beliefs of people about menopause and aging as well as increasing their knowledge and information about menopause can help women to experience the menopausal transition with more ease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: There is still no clear portrayal of women's empowerment in managing menopause. The present study was conducted to design a model for the empowerment of Iranian women in managing menopause. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using the grounded theory on 40-60-year-old women who were first selected through purposive sampling and then by theoretical sampling from November 2013 to July 2016. Data were collected using 33 in-depth, semi-structured, individual interviews with 30 participants. Data were analyzed using the Strauss and Corbin(2008) approach and organized in MAXQDA-10. Results: The analysis of the data led to the emergence of "active coping with menopause" as the core variable with four themes. The two themes "threat to feminine identity" and "latent opportunity" explained the context of the study, and "redefining the feminine identity" and "self-retrieval" explained its process. Conclusion: In our social context, the phenomenon of menopause is a coin with two sides and its experience leans more on the threat to feminine identity and less on latent opportunity. The model of postmenopausal women's empowerment for managing menopause might offer health policy-makers a realistic and divergent understanding of the challenges of empowering women by explaining key concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Family Process is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Despite the growing importance of spiritual care, the delivery of spiritual care is still an area of disagreement among healthcare providers. Objective: To develop a grounded theory about spiritual care delivery based on Iranian nurses' perceptions and experiences. A grounded theory approach: A qualitative study using the grounded theory approach. Participants and research context: Data were collected through holding 27 interviews with 25 participants (17 staff nurses, 3 physicians, 3 patients, 1 family member, and 1 nurse assistant). The study setting was the Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex. Sampling was started purposively and continued theoretically. Data analysis was performed by the method proposed by Strauss and Corbin. Ethical consideration: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Tarbiat Modares University and the agreement of the administrators of the study setting was got before starting the study. Results: The core category of the study was "Trust building" which reflected the nature of spiritual care delivery by nurses. Trust building was the result of eight main categories or strategies including creating a positive mentality at hospital admission, understanding patients in care circumstances, having a caring presence, adhering to care ethics, developing meaningful relationships, promoting positive thinking and energy, establishing effective communication with patients, and attempting to create a safe therapeutic environment. Poor interprofessional coordination negatively affected this process while living toward developing greater cognizance of divinity and adhering to the principles of professional ethics facilitated it. The outcome of the process was to gain a sense of partial psychological security. Conclusion: The "Trust building" theory can be used as a guide for describing and expanding nurses' roles in spiritual care delivery, developing care documentation systems and clinical guidelines, and planning educational programs for nursing students and staff nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Building fires can be a great threat to the safety of residents, and can lead to economic and social damage. Exploring the views of stakeholders is a great source for understanding the factors that affect fires. The purpose of this study was to explore stakeholders' experiences of unintentional fire-related injuries in residential buildings in Iran. Methods: This qualitative study was carried out using grounded theory. The study was conducted in Iran, in 2017. The study participants consisted of 25 people including stakeholders who had practical experience/or were knowledgeable in the field of preventing and fighting building fires. Purposeful and theoretical sampling were used for data collection. Data were analyzed based on constant comparative analysis and according to recommendations by Strauss and Corbin. Results: "Lack of a comprehensive approach to prevention of fire-related injury" emerged as a core variable which impacted on residents' safety against fires. The findings were classified into four groups of challenges related to the structure of building, socio-economic challenge, residents of the building and rescue services. Conclusions: Based on participants' experiences, unintentional fire-related injuries in residential buildings are affected by cultural context and economic, social and geographical factors. Improving the safety against unintentional fire-related injuries in residential buildings requires multidisciplinary operations including both change and improvement of the building construction and change in the beliefs and practices of residents to increase safety against fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Today, professionalism is considered a competitive advantage and its observance at a university is the guarantee of the teaching-learning process in education. The purpose of this study was to design an educational model of professionalism for faculty members at the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This grounded theory study was conducted using a qualitative approach in 2018. The participants of this study were 16 faculty members of the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Sampling was purposeful and continued until data saturation. Data was collected by semistructured interviews. Two methods of reviewing participants and reviewing non-participant experts were used in the data validation. Interview data were analyzed by Strauss and Corbin method. Results: The central core theme of the present study is that ethics in non-clinical education can be categorized in four components: personal characteristics, social interactions, teaching skills, and professional characteristics. Based on casual, contextual and interaction conditions, some strategies were developed and the final model is based on this information. Conclusion: Considering the positive implications of professionalism, increasing productivity in the university, the educational system dynamism, promoting professionalism and developing strategic plans, authorities must focus more on academic and social infrastructure to achieve educational quality and social trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined how infertile Iranian clients confront infertility. Research on infertility has confirmed the significance of a socio-cultural context in the formation of responses to infertility. This study used the grounded theory approach to explore the experiences of infertile individuals presenting at the Royan Institute in Iran from October 2013 to September 2014. Clients with infertility of at least two years in duration were recruited using purposive sampling followed by theoretical sampling. A total of 41 interviews were conducted with 36 people. Data were collected through in-depth unstructured interviews and field notes. Data analysis was performed using MAXQDA 2007. A sense of ‘insecurity about personal and family identity’ shaped in the context of ‘facing the cultural-economic dilemmas’ was identified as the main concern of infertile clients. The clients dealt with this concern through a series of strategies that included gradual acceptance of infertility, seeking information and consultation, pursuing treatment, focusing on saving the marriage, self-control and resilience and fighting inner turmoil. All these approaches suggest ‘protecting personal and family identity’ as the core concept. The findings highlight the need for the health care system to treat infertility as a broad concept than mere individual and biological dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction: Providing health services for adolescents requires exploration of hidden factors from the perspective of adolescents, providers, and key individuals. Understanding the process of providing health services from adolescents point of view will help receiving and continuation of services. Although many studies have been conducted in Iran on adolescents health needs, few studies have dealt with provision of these services to adolescents. Aim: The present study aimed to explain the adolescents and key informants' perception of healthcare provision. Materials and Methods: The present qualitative study was conducted according to grounded theory. Data were collected using deep semi-structured individual interviews and group discussion. Participants were selected through purposive sampling followed by theoretical sampling. Participants in present study were 65 adolescents, nine youths (19-24-yearold), and 19 parents and key people involved in providing health services. Adolescents and their parents were selected from different parts of Tehran. Data collection continued until data saturation, and was analysed using Corbin-Strauss (2008) method. Results: Issues relating to adolescents perception of the process of providing services included health concerns, society's inappropriate behaviours, and weakness of the health services system in responding to adolescents needs, which as underlying factors contributed to adolescents confusion in receiving services and their proper coping with puberty. Conclusion: Due to lack of education on how to manage puberty by parents, schools, society, and the health system, participating adolescents from Tehran were confused about receiving information and unable to manage puberty problems. Solving this problem requires continuity of services and interaction of family, school and community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The autonomy of chronic patients in Iranian hospitals is challenged by impaired functioning resulting from chronic illness, a negative image in society, and effects related to hospitalization. Comprehensive interviews and observations of 34 patients, nurses, and physicians were performed to assess the autonomy of chronic patients in Iran. Conceptualization, constant comparison, and the combination of data resulted in the identification of 5 main categories related to autonomy: welcoming paternalism, self-expression, self-proof, shared decision making, and self-determination. Authority scrambling was a central category describing chronic patients’ perceptions of their autonomy during hospitalization. These patients sought to maintain their independence despite serious threats to their autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aims: Prison staff members have a core role in the provision of harm reduction strategies in prison. This study aimed to evaluate the attitudes of prison directors, managers and health staff toward Needle Exchange Program (NEP) among people who inject drugs in Iranian prisons.Methods: With a grounded theory design, this qualitative study was conducted in 2011 in Iran. The study population included directors of provincial prison organisations, prison managers, heads of health departments in prisons, prison health officers, physicians, counsellors and healthcare workers in prisons. Participants’ responses were collected via focus group discussions.Results: Attitudes of the participants could generally be categorised in three including: Health-related aspects; Behavioural and social aspects; and Legal, organisational and financial aspects. Those who were in line with the existence of NEP in prisons mentioned some pre-requisites for supporting this program in prisons.Conclusion: Positive and negative views of Iranian prison staff toward NEP in prisons suggest that there are many obstacles to the provision of harm reduction strategies in prison. Consideration of socio-cultural parameters of the target community as well as combination of NEP and other harm reduction strategies might help to improve the effectiveness of harm reduction in prisons. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: This qualitative study was conducted to discover fertile couples' experiences of having their first child in the urban society of Mashhad, Iran. Methods: In this grounded theory study, 45 participants were selected. In-depth interviews were conducted at health centres, homes and workplaces. Data analyses were carried out adopting Strauss and Corbin's mode of analysis through a constant comparative method applying open, axial and selective coding using MAXqda software. Study rigour was verified via prolonged engagement with participants, member check and debriefing with peers. Results: The core category that describes couples' experience of having their first child was 'caring for my family integrity'. The process of first-time childbearing included four interrelated stages: (1) gaining confidence about the spouse's capability for being a parent, (2) evaluating situational conditions to make a decision whether to try to become pregnant, (3) managing childbearing across the life course and (4) parental role attainment. Conclusion: Couples' decisions about having their first child are influenced by their mutual relationship and the results of their evaluation of a variety of circumstantial, economic, child-training abilities and health-related conditions. Both planned and unplanned events influence childbearing experiences. It is important to comprehend the four-stage process and apply it in reproductive health care especially in the delivery of family planning services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To explore how Iranian patients with coronary heart disease experience their lives. Background Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death in Iran and worldwide. Understanding qualitatively how patients experience the acute and postacute stages of this chronic condition is essential knowledge for minimising the negative consequences of coronary heart disease. Design Qualitative study using grounded theory for the data analysis. Methods Data for this study were collected through individual qualitative interviews with 24 patients with coronary heart disease, conducted between January 2009 and January 2011. Patients with angina pectoris were selected for participation through purposive sampling, and sample size was determined by data saturation. Data analysis began with initial coding and continued with focused coding. Categories were determined, and the core category was subsequently developed and finalised. Results The main categories of the transition from acute phase to a modified or 'new normal' life were: (1) Loss of normal life. Experiencing emotions and consequences of illness; (2) Coming to terms. Using coping strategies; (3) Recreating normal life. Healthcare providers must correctly recognise the stages of transition patients navigate while coping with coronary heart disease to support and educate them appropriately throughout these stages. Conclusion Patients with coronary heart disease lose their normal lives and must work towards recreating a revised life using coping strategies that enable them to come to terms with their situations. Relevance to clinical practice By understanding Iranian patients' experiences, healthcare providers and especially nurses can use the information to support and educate patients with coronary heart disease on how to more effectively deal with their illness and its consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a substantial number of Iranian war veterans, exposed to sulfur mustard, who suffer from serious long term progressive health problems involving their respiratory organs, eyes, and skin. Little is known, however, about these casualties’ experiences of living with the consequences of sulfur mustard poisoning. This qualitative study aims to provide greater insight into how war veterans live with the consequences of the poisoning and involved 17 Iranian war veterans who had been poisoned by sulfur mustard during the Iran–Iraq conflict. Each participant was interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule and the data generated through this process was analyzed using constant comparative data analysis technique. Data analysis resulted in “religious beliefs and practices” as a main category, which included two sub-categories: religious value centered life and religious support. Findings suggest that religious belief assists veterans to accept the impact of poisoning on their lives and adapt their lifestyles accordingly, to participate in religious social activities and feel socially supported, and to be hopeful about the future and live their lives as fully as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the information-seeking behaviour of academic staff in the schools of medical sciences of Iran and to draw up a model of their information-seeking behaviour. A qualitative research method -- Grounded Theory -- was employed to carry out this research, analyze the data, and data were collected through interviews. Data analysis showed that the information-seeking behaviour of these Iranian Medical Schools' academic staff has seven stages: selecting subjects, searching information, retrieving information, browsing, gathering information sources, using information, and transferring information to others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]