Son-preference but daughter-birth: A phenomenological exploration of the experience of mothers in Tamilnadu, India

This phenomenological study explored the experience of mothers having daughters but preferring sons, their experience as non-preferred daughters and the influence of the latter on the former as affirmed by the participant mothers in Tamilnadu, India. Participants of the study were 10 mothers with th...

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Main Author: Thandiakkal, Alphonsa Antony, Sr. Brita
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Published: Animo Repository 2008
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Online Access:https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/200
https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_doctoral/article/1199/viewcontent/CDTG004424_P.pdf
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Institution: De La Salle University
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spelling oai:animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph:etd_doctoral-11992022-04-04T07:20:34Z Son-preference but daughter-birth: A phenomenological exploration of the experience of mothers in Tamilnadu, India Thandiakkal, Alphonsa Antony, Sr. Brita This phenomenological study explored the experience of mothers having daughters but preferring sons, their experience as non-preferred daughters and the influence of the latter on the former as affirmed by the participant mothers in Tamilnadu, India. Participants of the study were 10 mothers with the age range of 28 - 35 years (M=32.5, SD=2.20). Data collected using in-depth interviews were content analyzed for themes. Findings indicate that the socio-cultural context of India has significant influence on both experiences. The ten themes that emerged from the experience of having daughters but preferring sons are: pressure from self and others to give birth to sons abuse of mother and baby girl ridicule from the family and society due to gender biased attitudes being held responsible for giving birth to all daughters due to ignorance about fetal sex determination lack of a son to fulfill traditional son-specific roles in the family liabilities as well as advantages of having daughters strong personal commitment in rearing the daughters positive (joy in the first experience of motherhood) and negative (like anxiety, low self-esteem and conflicts in family and society) consequences of the experience and coping strategies like adaptive parenting style and religious coping. The five themes of the experience as non-preferred daughters are: perception as unwanted at birth discrimination as daughters against sons in different areas being considered burdensome as daughters negative consequences of the experience such as low self-esteem and interpersonal problems and coping strategies like crying and downward and upward comparisons. The study has implications for mental health workers, policymakers of the state and NGOs who work with this population as well as for researchers. Based on the findings of the study and the participants suggestions, a program was proposed to enhance the well-being of mothers who were non-preferred daughters and currently have daughters but prefer sons. 2008-01-01T08:00:00Z text application/pdf https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/200 https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_doctoral/article/1199/viewcontent/CDTG004424_P.pdf Dissertations Animo Repository Sex of children, Parental preferences for-India Mothers--India Counseling
institution De La Salle University
building De La Salle University Library
continent Asia
country Philippines
Philippines
content_provider De La Salle University Library
collection DLSU Institutional Repository
topic Sex of children, Parental preferences for-India
Mothers--India
Counseling
spellingShingle Sex of children, Parental preferences for-India
Mothers--India
Counseling
Thandiakkal, Alphonsa Antony, Sr. Brita
Son-preference but daughter-birth: A phenomenological exploration of the experience of mothers in Tamilnadu, India
description This phenomenological study explored the experience of mothers having daughters but preferring sons, their experience as non-preferred daughters and the influence of the latter on the former as affirmed by the participant mothers in Tamilnadu, India. Participants of the study were 10 mothers with the age range of 28 - 35 years (M=32.5, SD=2.20). Data collected using in-depth interviews were content analyzed for themes. Findings indicate that the socio-cultural context of India has significant influence on both experiences. The ten themes that emerged from the experience of having daughters but preferring sons are: pressure from self and others to give birth to sons abuse of mother and baby girl ridicule from the family and society due to gender biased attitudes being held responsible for giving birth to all daughters due to ignorance about fetal sex determination lack of a son to fulfill traditional son-specific roles in the family liabilities as well as advantages of having daughters strong personal commitment in rearing the daughters positive (joy in the first experience of motherhood) and negative (like anxiety, low self-esteem and conflicts in family and society) consequences of the experience and coping strategies like adaptive parenting style and religious coping. The five themes of the experience as non-preferred daughters are: perception as unwanted at birth discrimination as daughters against sons in different areas being considered burdensome as daughters negative consequences of the experience such as low self-esteem and interpersonal problems and coping strategies like crying and downward and upward comparisons. The study has implications for mental health workers, policymakers of the state and NGOs who work with this population as well as for researchers. Based on the findings of the study and the participants suggestions, a program was proposed to enhance the well-being of mothers who were non-preferred daughters and currently have daughters but prefer sons.
format text
author Thandiakkal, Alphonsa Antony, Sr. Brita
author_facet Thandiakkal, Alphonsa Antony, Sr. Brita
author_sort Thandiakkal, Alphonsa Antony, Sr. Brita
title Son-preference but daughter-birth: A phenomenological exploration of the experience of mothers in Tamilnadu, India
title_short Son-preference but daughter-birth: A phenomenological exploration of the experience of mothers in Tamilnadu, India
title_full Son-preference but daughter-birth: A phenomenological exploration of the experience of mothers in Tamilnadu, India
title_fullStr Son-preference but daughter-birth: A phenomenological exploration of the experience of mothers in Tamilnadu, India
title_full_unstemmed Son-preference but daughter-birth: A phenomenological exploration of the experience of mothers in Tamilnadu, India
title_sort son-preference but daughter-birth: a phenomenological exploration of the experience of mothers in tamilnadu, india
publisher Animo Repository
publishDate 2008
url https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/200
https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_doctoral/article/1199/viewcontent/CDTG004424_P.pdf
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