The Value of Children in Rural and Urban Iran: A Pilot Study

Abstract

This paper reports on a pilot study of value of children in Iran. Utilizing survey data from currently married women, perceived utilities and costs of children are examined in the context of rural and urban social structure of Iran. Social functions of children, those which reinforce the status of parents in the community, are very important for both rural and urban women. Psychological utilities are expressed more by urban women and economic utilities are highly perceived by rural women. Significant inverse relationship is observed between education, consumption of modern goods, employment out of home and the index of perceived economic utilities of children. Rural urban and socioeconomic differentials in utility of children are discussed in relation to differential fertility in Iran.