Social Barriers to Accessing Welfare Services for Women with Ineffective Male Heads of Household in Tehran
Keywords:
Women with ineffective male heads of household, social support , social services, social barriersAbstract
Purpose: This study aimed to identify and analyze the social barriers that hinder women with ineffective male heads of households in Tehran from accessing welfare support and services, with the goal of informing targeted interventions to enhance their social and economic empowerment.
Methods and Materials: A mixed-method design combining qualitative and quantitative approaches was employed in the second half of 2023. The qualitative phase utilized semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 17 experts and 20 Delphi panel members, including lawyers, social workers, psychologists, and sociologists, selected through purposive, snowball, and convenience sampling. Colaizzi’s content analysis method and Atlas.ti software were used for coding and theme development. The quantitative phase involved a cross-sectional survey of 250 women selected via convenience random sampling from female-headed households under the Welfare Organization of Tehran, meeting specific inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27 and Smart-PLS 3, with reliability and validity confirmed through Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, AVE, Fornell–Larcker test, and structural equation modeling.
Findings: Structural equation modeling revealed significant positive relationships between access to welfare services and key components, including social participation (β = 0.67, p < 0.05), social skills (β = 0.944, p < 0.05), technical and vocational skills (β = 0.727, p < 0.05), family and emotional support (β = 0.938, p < 0.05), physical and mental health (β = 0.946, p < 0.05), and social health (β = 0.939, p < 0.05). The overall model demonstrated strong explanatory power (R² = 0.677) and a high goodness-of-fit index (GOF = 0.717), indicating robust alignment between the theoretical constructs and empirical data.
Conclusion: The findings highlight that improving welfare access for women with ineffective male heads of households requires integrated strategies that address not only economic needs but also social, emotional, health, and skill development dimensions. Enhancing inter-agency coordination, expanding skill-based programs, and strengthening family and community support systems are essential for sustainable empowerment.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Mina Zahraee (Author); Soraya Rostami; Afsaneh Tavassoli (Author)
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