Phenomengraphy of Perceived Social Support in Women Heads of Households.

As the percentage of women assuming the role of household leaders rises, there is a prevailing consensus to lend them support. Determining their experience of social support phenomenologically is the objective of the present study. The investigation utilized the phenomenological method. In 1400, twenty-one female heads of household in Mashhad participated in semi-structured interviews; the resulting data were subsequently analyzed using MAXQDA software. Three entities provide assistance to female heads of household: family, friends, and governmental organizations. Often, family support is both financial and emotional. Companionship and friends offer practical, financial, and emotional assistance, while governmental bodies and organizations prioritize monetary support. However, these assistance programs--consisting primarily of low-interest loans--will contribute to the perpetuation of poverty if not accompanied by policies that target and alleviate poverty. Widows initially require emotional support before progressing to requiring financial, material, and informational resources. Following financial support, divorced women require emotional support. Financial, informational, instrumental, and emotional autonomy are all essential for single women. Because mistrust, particularly towards men, constitutes the foundation of each of these women's living space, conformity and aloofness serve as the primary tenets of their social connections. The findings revealed that female heads of household encounter numerous obstacles in their personal and social spheres, necessitating assistance. Nevertheless, policymakers must be concerned with the manner in which these supports are delivered in order to prevent it from becoming a "social issue" and to mitigate social harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]