University of Isfahan New Educational Approaches 2423-6780 20 1 2025 05 22 Investigating the Role of Parenting Education in Iran’s High School Textbooks Investigating the Role of Parenting Education in Iran’s High School Textbooks 131 158 29696 10.22108/nea.2025.143176.2080 FA Zahra Mirmosayeb PhD. Student in Curriculum, Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. Mohamad Reza Nili Associate Professor of Curriculum, Department of Education, Faculty of Education and psychology, Maryam Fatehizade Professor, Department of Counseling, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran Journal Article 2024 10 31 This study aimed to evaluate the extent to which parenting education concepts are addressed in Iran’s high school textbooks through a descriptive quantitative content analysis. Statistical population consisted of all high school textbooks published in 2023 that based on research logic focus on family and parenting issues, sociology, religious studies, Persian literature textbooks for grades 10, 11, and 12, and the psychology textbook for grade 11, were selected as the sample through a purposive sampling method. A researcher-made content analysis checklist, derived from theoretical literature and prior research, was used, comprising of five main components and 17 sub-components. The tool’s validity was confirmed by experts evaluations, achieving a Scott’s coefficient of 0.97, and coding consistency was verified through re-examination. Data analysis, using Shannon’s entropy method, revealed a total frequency of 121 instances of parenting education components across the selected textbooks. The distribution of importance coefficients was as follows: transmission of cultural identity values (0.233), conscious participation in child development (0.202), life skills (0.194), family efficacy (0.191), and parental mental health (0.179). Among the textbooks, the highest importance coefficients were found in Religious Studies Grade 11 (0.163), Sociology Grade 10 (0.162), Religious Studies Grade 12 (0.151), Religious Studies Grade 10 (0.141), Persian Literature Grade 10 (0.141), Psychology Grade 11 (0.128), Persian Literature Grade 12 (0.112), Sociology Grade 12 (0.001), Persian Literature Grade 11 (0.0), and Sociology Grade 11 (0.0). Findings suggest that parenting education is an neglected and undervalued area in Iran’s school curriculum, with uneven attention across its components. Recommendations include a balanced emphasis on parenting education components during the revision of textbooks. Introduction Incorporating parenting education into textbooks offers the most efficient means to deliver high-quality and culturally sensitive parenting programs to a broad audience, and help enhancing the dissemination of such education. While parenting education has historically been emphasized in the context of andragogy (adult education) in Iran, its integration into pedagogy remains underexplored. Until now, no content analysis of Iranian textbooks has examined the presence of concepts related to parenting education. This study aims to address this gap and offer recommendations for enhancing the high school curriculum. Specifically, it addresses two research questions: Which parenting education components receive the most emphasis in the selected high school textbooks? Which selected high school textbook places the greatest emphasis on parenting education? Methodology This study employed a descriptive quantitative content analysis with an applied approach. The statistical population included all high school textbooks published in 2023. Based on the study’s focus on family and parenting issues, sociology, religious studies, and Persian literature textbooks for grades 10, 11, and 12, as well as the psychology textbook for grade 11, were purposively selected. A box method was used for categorization and indices determination, with themes as the unit of analysis and frequency as the counting method. The data collection tool was a researcher-made content analysis checklist, based on a review of theoretical literature and prior research. A conceptual framework comprising five components and 17 sub-components was finalized after multiple rounds of expert review and revision.The content validity index was quantitatively calculated using the Waltz and Bausell method, yielding an average CVI of 0.82 for the checklist. To evaluate coding consistency, a recoding approach by a second evaluator was employed, utilizing William Scott's formula to calculate inter-coder agreement, which resulted in a 97% agreement coefficient. Researcher then examined the textbooks for content (sentences, images, questions, or exercises) related to the checklist components, recording the frequency of each. Findings Shannon’s entropy method was employed to assess the extent and importance of parenting education components in the selected textbooks. Among the components, “transmission of cultural identity values” received the most attention, with 38 instances (31.4%), while “parental mental health” received the least, with 10 instances (8.3%). Regarding the textbooks, Religious Studies Grade 11 showed the highest emphasis on parenting education, with 27 instances (22.3%), whereas Sociology Grade 12 exhibited no attention to parenting education. Discussion and Conclusion Education through textbooks, as one of the key approaches alongside other educational measures, represents a fundamental step toward enhancing mental health and strengthening family structures in society. The findings from the analysis of the first research question indicated that, among the components related to parenting education, most emphasis is placed on the transmission of values associated with cultural identity (0.233), conscious participation in children's development (0.202), and life skills (0.194), while the least attention is given to family efficacy (0.191) and parental mental health (0.179). Results highlight that parenting education, as an interdisciplinary field encompassing interpersonal relationships, self-understanding, human development, preparation for marriage and family formation, parenting, decision-making skills, empathy, sexual relationships, and human and material resource management, is inadequately addressed in Iran’s high school curriculum. To achieve holistic and healthy development, Iranian students require comprehensive exposure to parenting education components through textbooks, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to address present and future challenges responsibly. To advance scientific and practical outcomes in this area, it is recommended that clear policies be developed to integrate parenting education into the national curriculum. Allocating specific instructional hours to parenting education would ensure adequate coverage of relevant content. In addition, given the uneven emphasis on certain components and neglect of others, a balanced approach to incorporating parenting education into textbook revisions is strongly recommended. Based on the results of the second research question, the importance coefficients for the textbooks were as follows: Religious Studies 11th Grade (0.163), Sociology 10th Grade (0.162), Religious Studies 12th Grade (0.151), Religious Studies 10th Grade (0.141), Persian Literature 10th Grade (0.141), Psychology 11th Grade (0.128), Persian Literature 12th Grade (0.112), with Sociology 11th and 12th Grades and Persian Literature 11th Grade approaching zero. Although the law supporting the provision of parenting education to students, aimed at raising public awareness and endorsing this curriculum, is enshrined in higher-level policy documents, parenting education remains largely overlooked within Iranian educational system. Therefore, it is recommended that textbook authors prioritize school-based efforts in the realm of parenting education, assisting students in their transition to adulthood and fostering independent and responsible members of society. Hence, they can contribute to building a safer and more humane society. This study aimed to evaluate the extent to which parenting education concepts are addressed in Iran’s high school textbooks through a descriptive quantitative content analysis. Statistical population consisted of all high school textbooks published in 2023 that based on research logic focus on family and parenting issues, sociology, religious studies, Persian literature textbooks for grades 10, 11, and 12, and the psychology textbook for grade 11, were selected as the sample through a purposive sampling method. A researcher-made content analysis checklist, derived from theoretical literature and prior research, was used, comprising of five main components and 17 sub-components. The tool’s validity was confirmed by experts evaluations, achieving a Scott’s coefficient of 0.97, and coding consistency was verified through re-examination. Data analysis, using Shannon’s entropy method, revealed a total frequency of 121 instances of parenting education components across the selected textbooks. The distribution of importance coefficients was as follows: transmission of cultural identity values (0.233), conscious participation in child development (0.202), life skills (0.194), family efficacy (0.191), and parental mental health (0.179). Among the textbooks, the highest importance coefficients were found in Religious Studies Grade 11 (0.163), Sociology Grade 10 (0.162), Religious Studies Grade 12 (0.151), Religious Studies Grade 10 (0.141), Persian Literature Grade 10 (0.141), Psychology Grade 11 (0.128), Persian Literature Grade 12 (0.112), Sociology Grade 12 (0.001), Persian Literature Grade 11 (0.0), and Sociology Grade 11 (0.0). Findings suggest that parenting education is an neglected and undervalued area in Iran’s school curriculum, with uneven attention across its components. Recommendations include a balanced emphasis on parenting education components during the revision of textbooks. Introduction Incorporating parenting education into textbooks offers the most efficient means to deliver high-quality and culturally sensitive parenting programs to a broad audience, and help enhancing the dissemination of such education. While parenting education has historically been emphasized in the context of andragogy (adult education) in Iran, its integration into pedagogy remains underexplored. Until now, no content analysis of Iranian textbooks has examined the presence of concepts related to parenting education. This study aims to address this gap and offer recommendations for enhancing the high school curriculum. Specifically, it addresses two research questions: Which parenting education components receive the most emphasis in the selected high school textbooks? Which selected high school textbook places the greatest emphasis on parenting education? Methodology This study employed a descriptive quantitative content analysis with an applied approach. The statistical population included all high school textbooks published in 2023. Based on the study’s focus on family and parenting issues, sociology, religious studies, and Persian literature textbooks for grades 10, 11, and 12, as well as the psychology textbook for grade 11, were purposively selected. A box method was used for categorization and indices determination, with themes as the unit of analysis and frequency as the counting method. The data collection tool was a researcher-made content analysis checklist, based on a review of theoretical literature and prior research. A conceptual framework comprising five components and 17 sub-components was finalized after multiple rounds of expert review and revision.The content validity index was quantitatively calculated using the Waltz and Bausell method, yielding an average CVI of 0.82 for the checklist. To evaluate coding consistency, a recoding approach by a second evaluator was employed, utilizing William Scott's formula to calculate inter-coder agreement, which resulted in a 97% agreement coefficient. Researcher then examined the textbooks for content (sentences, images, questions, or exercises) related to the checklist components, recording the frequency of each. Findings Shannon’s entropy method was employed to assess the extent and importance of parenting education components in the selected textbooks. Among the components, “transmission of cultural identity values” received the most attention, with 38 instances (31.4%), while “parental mental health” received the least, with 10 instances (8.3%). Regarding the textbooks, Religious Studies Grade 11 showed the highest emphasis on parenting education, with 27 instances (22.3%), whereas Sociology Grade 12 exhibited no attention to parenting education. Discussion and Conclusion Education through textbooks, as one of the key approaches alongside other educational measures, represents a fundamental step toward enhancing mental health and strengthening family structures in society. The findings from the analysis of the first research question indicated that, among the components related to parenting education, most emphasis is placed on the transmission of values associated with cultural identity (0.233), conscious participation in children's development (0.202), and life skills (0.194), while the least attention is given to family efficacy (0.191) and parental mental health (0.179). Results highlight that parenting education, as an interdisciplinary field encompassing interpersonal relationships, self-understanding, human development, preparation for marriage and family formation, parenting, decision-making skills, empathy, sexual relationships, and human and material resource management, is inadequately addressed in Iran’s high school curriculum. To achieve holistic and healthy development, Iranian students require comprehensive exposure to parenting education components through textbooks, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to address present and future challenges responsibly. To advance scientific and practical outcomes in this area, it is recommended that clear policies be developed to integrate parenting education into the national curriculum. Allocating specific instructional hours to parenting education would ensure adequate coverage of relevant content. In addition, given the uneven emphasis on certain components and neglect of others, a balanced approach to incorporating parenting education into textbook revisions is strongly recommended. Based on the results of the second research question, the importance coefficients for the textbooks were as follows: Religious Studies 11th Grade (0.163), Sociology 10th Grade (0.162), Religious Studies 12th Grade (0.151), Religious Studies 10th Grade (0.141), Persian Literature 10th Grade (0.141), Psychology 11th Grade (0.128), Persian Literature 12th Grade (0.112), with Sociology 11th and 12th Grades and Persian Literature 11th Grade approaching zero. Although the law supporting the provision of parenting education to students, aimed at raising public awareness and endorsing this curriculum, is enshrined in higher-level policy documents, parenting education remains largely overlooked within Iranian educational system. Therefore, it is recommended that textbook authors prioritize school-based efforts in the realm of parenting education, assisting students in their transition to adulthood and fostering independent and responsible members of society. Hence, they can contribute to building a safer and more humane society.

https://nea.ui.ac.ir/article_29696_5195723fe0f37c8cadeecb1348147f32.pdf