شمارۀ جدید فصلنامه (بهار 1404) منتشر شد
Volume 16, Issue 1 (1-2026)
Social Problems of Iran 2026, 16(1): 161-194 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Talebpour A, safiri K, Tajipour F. (2026). The Contexts and Consequences of Child Marriage in Lorestan Province. Social Problems of Iran. 16(1), : 5 doi:10.61186/jspi.16.1.161
URL: http://jspi.khu.ac.ir/article-1-3701-en.html
URL: http://jspi.khu.ac.ir/article-1-3701-en.html
1- Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran , a.talebpour@alzahra.ac.ir
2- Professor, Department of Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran/ Iran
3- Master of Social Sciences, Department of Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
2- Professor, Department of Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran/ Iran
3- Master of Social Sciences, Department of Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (194 Views)
According to the most recent national census data from 2016 (1395 in the Iranian calendar), although the average age of marriage for girls in Iran is gradually increasing, early marriages remain significantly more prevalent in traditional communities. Such unions are widely considered a form of violence against children, often carrying both intended and unintended negative consequences. This qualitative study, grounded in Strauss and Corbin’s version of grounded theory, investigates the phenomenon of child marriage in Lorestan Province. The primary aim is to identify the causes, contextual and intervening conditions, strategies, and consequences of child marriage based on the lived experiences of fifteen women who were all married before the age of 18. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed until theoretical saturation was reached. The findings yielded ten core categories: socio-cultural origin, economic hardship, patriarchy, unfulfilled aspirations, domestic violence, emotional isolation, deprivation, dissatisfaction with marital life, lack of mutual understanding, and traditional environmental norms. These factors collectively shape the emergence of child marriage and the loss of childhood. Major consequences identified include depression, social withdrawal, emotional divorce, early motherhood, family violence, infidelity, lack of marital commitment, suicidal ideation, and school dropout. The analysis highlights the role of structural inequalities—particularly cultural and economic—in perpetuating the phenomenon, portraying child marriage not as a conscious choice but as a passive response to restrictive and unequal social structures. Drawing on feminist theory, Erikson’s psychosocial development model, gender socialization theory, and resource theory, the study calls for preventive policies rooted in public awareness, institutional support, and legal reform.
Extended Abstract
Iran is one of the few countries where the legal minimum marriage age is still notably low; it ranks second globally after Guinea, with girls legally allowed to marry at age 13 (Statistics Center of Iran, 2024). In Lorestan province—a predominantly traditional and tribal region in western Iran—the prevalence of child marriage is considerably high. Census data from 2016 reveals that 2% of girls in Lorestan were married under the age of 14, while nearly 20% were married before reaching 18. These figures underscore the socio-cultural persistence of early marriage as a normative practice. Various factors contribute to this phenomenon, including conservative religious interpretations, patriarchal traditions, economic deprivation, lack of educational access, and social pressure.
This study aims to explore the sociological dimensions of child marriage in Lorestan by examining the lived experiences of child brides. It focuses on identifying the causal factors, contextual and intervening conditions, coping strategies, and long-term consequences of child marriage, as understood through the narratives of women who were married before the age of 18.
To ensure the credibility and trustworthiness of the findings, this study followed the criteria proposed by Lincoln and Guba (1985), including prolonged engagement, triangulation, member checks, and thick description. Interview data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed through iterative comparison. Emerging categories were revisited multiple times to refine their properties and dimensions. This back-and-forth process of constant comparison between raw data, emerging codes, and theoretical constructs helped the researchers develop a coherent and credible grounded theory.
The data were coded and categorized along five dimensions, as recommended in the grounded theory paradigm model: (1) causal conditions, (2) contextual conditions, (3) intervening conditions, (4) action/interaction strategies, and (5) consequences. This structure allowed for a comprehensive analysis of how structural, cultural, and individual-level factors interrelate in shaping the phenomenon of child marriage in Lorestan.
Causal conditions included economic deprivation and low socio-cultural capital, which significantly limited life opportunities for young girls and made early marriage appear as a viable or even desirable option for families. From a theoretical perspective, these conditions align with resource theory and gender socialization theory, which posit that resource scarcity and gender-based expectations strongly shape individual behaviors and family decisions.
Contextual conditions included deep-rooted patriarchal structures, normalized domestic violence, and rigid gender norms. Within the context of Lorestan’s tribal and traditional culture, daughters are often seen as economic and social burdens whose honor must be protected through early marriage. These findings resonate with feminist theory, which underscores how institutions such as the family perpetuate gender inequality and symbolic violence.
Intervening conditions included fear of “spoiling” a daughter’s reputation, social pressure from extended family and community, and deterministic cultural norms. Many parents feared that delaying marriage could lead to their daughters remaining unmarried, thus risking social disgrace. These concerns reflect concepts in cultural determinism and symbolic interactionism, wherein individual choices are heavily shaped by social expectations and collective norms.
Strategies and coping mechanisms employed by child brides included emotional withdrawal, suppression of desires, expressions of frustration through self-harm, and in some cases, infidelity or aggression. Such behaviors were attempts to reclaim agency or navigate marital dissatisfaction. These responses can be interpreted through Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, which highlights the adverse effects of disrupted identity formation in adolescence, as well as feminist theories that frame such behaviors as survival strategies in oppressive settings.
Consequences were both psychological and structural. They included depression, anxiety, emotional detachment, early motherhood, exposure to intimate partner violence, suicidal ideation, and educational discontinuation. In several cases, the participants reported replicating cycles of violence or deprivation in their interactions with their own children—an outcome that underscores the intergenerational transmission of trauma and inequality.
This research confirms that early marriage constitutes a form of structural violence against children, particularly girls. It deprives them of agency, interrupts their education, exposes them to trauma, and confines them to gendered roles that limit their development. Importantly, the study underscores that child marriage is not only a personal tragedy but a social phenomenon with far-reaching consequences for health, education, and gender equity.
To address the issue, a multifaceted strategy is needed—one that combines legislative reform with cultural transformation, economic empowerment, and institutional support. Legal mechanisms must be strengthened to raise the minimum age of marriage and penalize violations. Simultaneously, education systems should offer life-skills training, gender-sensitive curricula, and supportive environments for girls at risk. Social services and NGOs must provide counseling and economic support to vulnerable families to reduce their dependence on early marriage as a survival strategy.
Finally, public discourse should be reshaped to challenge the normalization of child marriage. Media, religious leaders, educators, and policymakers all have a role to play in shifting societal values toward protecting children's rights and ensuring equitable opportunities for all.
Extended Abstract
-
-
-
- Introduction
-
-
Iran is one of the few countries where the legal minimum marriage age is still notably low; it ranks second globally after Guinea, with girls legally allowed to marry at age 13 (Statistics Center of Iran, 2024). In Lorestan province—a predominantly traditional and tribal region in western Iran—the prevalence of child marriage is considerably high. Census data from 2016 reveals that 2% of girls in Lorestan were married under the age of 14, while nearly 20% were married before reaching 18. These figures underscore the socio-cultural persistence of early marriage as a normative practice. Various factors contribute to this phenomenon, including conservative religious interpretations, patriarchal traditions, economic deprivation, lack of educational access, and social pressure.
This study aims to explore the sociological dimensions of child marriage in Lorestan by examining the lived experiences of child brides. It focuses on identifying the causal factors, contextual and intervening conditions, coping strategies, and long-term consequences of child marriage, as understood through the narratives of women who were married before the age of 18.
-
-
-
- Methodology
-
-
To ensure the credibility and trustworthiness of the findings, this study followed the criteria proposed by Lincoln and Guba (1985), including prolonged engagement, triangulation, member checks, and thick description. Interview data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed through iterative comparison. Emerging categories were revisited multiple times to refine their properties and dimensions. This back-and-forth process of constant comparison between raw data, emerging codes, and theoretical constructs helped the researchers develop a coherent and credible grounded theory.
The data were coded and categorized along five dimensions, as recommended in the grounded theory paradigm model: (1) causal conditions, (2) contextual conditions, (3) intervening conditions, (4) action/interaction strategies, and (5) consequences. This structure allowed for a comprehensive analysis of how structural, cultural, and individual-level factors interrelate in shaping the phenomenon of child marriage in Lorestan.
-
-
-
- Findings
-
-
Causal conditions included economic deprivation and low socio-cultural capital, which significantly limited life opportunities for young girls and made early marriage appear as a viable or even desirable option for families. From a theoretical perspective, these conditions align with resource theory and gender socialization theory, which posit that resource scarcity and gender-based expectations strongly shape individual behaviors and family decisions.
Contextual conditions included deep-rooted patriarchal structures, normalized domestic violence, and rigid gender norms. Within the context of Lorestan’s tribal and traditional culture, daughters are often seen as economic and social burdens whose honor must be protected through early marriage. These findings resonate with feminist theory, which underscores how institutions such as the family perpetuate gender inequality and symbolic violence.
Intervening conditions included fear of “spoiling” a daughter’s reputation, social pressure from extended family and community, and deterministic cultural norms. Many parents feared that delaying marriage could lead to their daughters remaining unmarried, thus risking social disgrace. These concerns reflect concepts in cultural determinism and symbolic interactionism, wherein individual choices are heavily shaped by social expectations and collective norms.
Strategies and coping mechanisms employed by child brides included emotional withdrawal, suppression of desires, expressions of frustration through self-harm, and in some cases, infidelity or aggression. Such behaviors were attempts to reclaim agency or navigate marital dissatisfaction. These responses can be interpreted through Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, which highlights the adverse effects of disrupted identity formation in adolescence, as well as feminist theories that frame such behaviors as survival strategies in oppressive settings.
Consequences were both psychological and structural. They included depression, anxiety, emotional detachment, early motherhood, exposure to intimate partner violence, suicidal ideation, and educational discontinuation. In several cases, the participants reported replicating cycles of violence or deprivation in their interactions with their own children—an outcome that underscores the intergenerational transmission of trauma and inequality.
-
-
-
- Conclusion
-
-
This research confirms that early marriage constitutes a form of structural violence against children, particularly girls. It deprives them of agency, interrupts their education, exposes them to trauma, and confines them to gendered roles that limit their development. Importantly, the study underscores that child marriage is not only a personal tragedy but a social phenomenon with far-reaching consequences for health, education, and gender equity.
To address the issue, a multifaceted strategy is needed—one that combines legislative reform with cultural transformation, economic empowerment, and institutional support. Legal mechanisms must be strengthened to raise the minimum age of marriage and penalize violations. Simultaneously, education systems should offer life-skills training, gender-sensitive curricula, and supportive environments for girls at risk. Social services and NGOs must provide counseling and economic support to vulnerable families to reduce their dependence on early marriage as a survival strategy.
Finally, public discourse should be reshaped to challenge the normalization of child marriage. Media, religious leaders, educators, and policymakers all have a role to play in shifting societal values toward protecting children's rights and ensuring equitable opportunities for all.
Article number: 5
Type of Article: Original Research |
Subject:
Family & Marriage
Received: 2024/11/27 | Accepted: 2025/01/19 | Published: 2025/05/11
Received: 2024/11/27 | Accepted: 2025/01/19 | Published: 2025/05/11
References
1. Erikson, E.H. (1980). Identity and The Life Cycle, NewYork: Norton.
2. Erulkar A. (2013 May). Adolescence lost: the realities of child marriage. J Adolesc Health, 52(5):513-4.
3. Kahl, David H. (2015). "Analyzing Masculinist Movements: Responding to Antifeminism through Critical Communication Pedagogy". Communication Teacher. 29 (1): 21–26.
4. Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
5. Nilsson, M. (2004). The Paradox of Modernity: A Study of Girl Discrimination in Urban Punjab, India. Center for East and South East Asian Studies, Lund University.
6. Schaefer, R. (1989). Sociology. NewYork: McGraw, Hill Book Co.
7. Seff, I., Williams, A., Hussain, F., Landis, D., Poulton, C., Falb, K., & Stark, L. (2020). Forced sex and early marriage: Understanding the linkages and norms in a humanitarian setting. Violence against women, 26(8), 787-802.
8. Segal-Engelchin, D., Huss, E. & Massry, N. (2015). The Experience of Early Marriage: Perspectives of Engaged and Married Muslim Women in Israel. Journal of Adolescent Research, 31(6), 725-749.
9. Stevens, Richard (2008). Erik H. Erikson: Explorer of Identity and the Life Cycle. Basingstoke, England: Palgrave Macmillan.
10. Tai, T.O., Yi, C.C., & Liu, C.H. (2019). Early marriage in Taiwan: E vidence from panel data. Journal of Family, 40(14), 1989-2014.
11. Taylor, A.Y., Murphy-Graham, E., VanHorm, J.; Vaitla, B. Valle, A.D., & Cislagh, B. (2019). Child Marriages and :union:s in Latin America: Understanding the Roles of Agency and Social Norms. Journal of Adolescent Health, 64(S45eS51).
12. Ueyama, M., & Yamauchi, F. (2009). Marriage behavior response to prime-age adult mortality: Evidence from Malawi. Demography, 46, 43-63.
13. Unicef (2007). Investing in women’s rights to advance the rights of both women and children, World Children State Pub.
14. United Nations Population Fund. (2012). Marrying too young: End child marriage. New York, NY: Author.
15. Unicef. (2022). Early Marriage and Child Spouses. Florence, Italy: UNICEF.
16. Unicef. (2022). Child marriage". www.unicef.org
17. Ahmadi, Kamil (2017). The echo of silence, research on early marriage in Iran. Tehran: Shirazeh Publications. [In Persian]
18. Asadpour, Ahdieh (2010). Causes, contexts and consequences of girls' marriage during childhood in Khorasan Razavi. PhD thesis, Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Al-Zahra University. [In Persian]
19. Astinfeshan, Parvaneh (2019). Studying the trends of changes in the age of marriage and the socio-demographic factors affecting it. (Master's thesis). University of Tehran. Faculty of Social Sciences. [In Persian]
20. Chaffetz, Jeanette S. (2015). An Introduction to Theory Building and Theory Testing in Sociology (translated by Esfandiar Ghafari Nasab) Tehran: Bahman Borna Publications.
21. Eftekharzadeh, Z. (2015). Lived Experiences of Female Victims of Child Marriage.Journal of Social Work Research, 2(3), 108-156. [In Persian]
22. Ezazi, Shahla (2004). Domestic violence, battered women. Tehran: Sali Publications. [In Persian]
23. Garrett, Stephanie (2001). Sociology of sex. Translated by Katayoun Baghaei. Tehran: Other publications. [In Persian]
24. Hajilo, Fataneh; Aghayari, Tavakol & Alipourabdar, Farideh (2011). The Causes of Child Marriage. (A Case Study of Women with Experience in Tabriz Health Centers). Zan & Jame'e, 13(16), 16-103. [In Persian]
25. Hemmati, Rosa (2019). Women's lived experience in early marriage in Sistan-Baluchestan and Tehran. (Master's thesis). Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Al-Zahra University. [In Persian]
26. Houshang Mahdavi, Abdolreza (2004). Three years in Asia; Arthur de Gobineau's travelogue. Tehran: Qatra Publishing. [In Persian]
27. Khajavi, Ziba (2011). Studying the social, family and psychological consequences of child marriage. Master's thesis, Islamic Azad University, Electronics Branch. [In Persian]
28. Khezri, Farshid; Behnamjoo, Fatemeh, Parvin, Sattar (2011). Lost Childhoods and the Experience of Violence as a Facet of Life: A Study of Early Marriages of Women in Bahar County. Journal of Social Work Research, 6(21), 173-214. [In Persian]
29. Lajavardi, Haleh (2007). Power structure in the family. Master's thesis, University of Tehran: Faculty of Social Sciences. [In Persian]
30. Layard, Austen Henry (1988) Layard's Travelogue or Early Adventures in Iran, translated by Mehrab Amiri, Vahid Publications. [In Persian]
31. Meghdadi Mohammadmehdi, Javadpour Maryam (2017). Impact of Early Marriage on Children's Sexual Health and Mechanisms of Deal with It. MLJ 2017, 11(40), 31-60. [In Persian]
32. Nezam Islami, Nazanin Zahra (2010). Identifying the causes and consequences of the phenomenon of child marriage in Borujerd. (Master's thesis) Grand Ayatollah Borujerdi University. [In Persian]
33. Omrani Nejad, R. Hashem zehi, N., Khabiri, K., Molla noruzy, K. and Ghadimi, B. (2021). Identifying social, psychological and physiological factors related to the early marriage of girls in Qom a grounded theory. Women's Studies Sociological and Psychological, 19(1), 45-86. [In Persian]
34. Ritzer, George (2014). Sociological theories in the contemporary era.translated by Hassan Salasi. Tehran: Elmi. 16th edition. [In Persian]
35. Safaei, Seyed Hossein, Emami, Asadollah (2014). Brief Family Law, Mizan Legal Foundation Publications, 47th edition. [In Persian]
36. Salahshoor, Esmat & Habibpour Getabi, Karam (2022). Sociological Analysis of the Role of Poverty in the Child Marriage Experience (Case: Women in the City of Chabahar).Research of deviance and social problems, 2(1), 31-75. [In Persian]
37. Sharifi, Shadi (2018). Studying the phenomenon of child marriage and its relationship with child abuse. Third International Conference on Jurisprudence and Law. Hamedan. [In Persian]
38. Strauss, Anselm, Corbin, Judith (2011). Principles of qualitative research method, grounded theory, procedures and methods. (Translated by Buyuk Mohammadi). Tehran: Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies. [In Persian]
39. Talebpour, Akbar (2015). The Sociological Explanation of Tendency towards Peddling: Qualitative Research (A case-study on the Peddler Men in Tehran Market and its Metro). Ma`rifat-e Farhangi Ejtemai, 6(3), 141-163. [In Persian]
40. Talebpour, A. & Karimifar, N. (2019). Comparative Study of Violence against woman in Kurdish Regions of Iran and Iraq. Women's Studies Sociological and Psychological, 17(4), 131-162. [In Persian]
41. Talebpour, A. Beiranvand, M. (2022). Qualitative Study of the Consequences of Definite Celibacy in Girls. Journal of Woman and Family Studies, 10(1), 10-35. [In Persian]
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
