Intergenerational Gap in Religious Values among Religiously Observant Families in Mashhad: A Comparative Study of Mothers and Daughters
Journal of Pizhūhish dar dīn va Salāmat (i.e., Research on Religion & Health),
Vol. 12 No. 3 (2026),
6 October 2026
https://doi.org/10.22037/jrrh.v12i3.52120
Abstract
Background and Objective: Rapid social and cultural transformations and the expansion of new media have altered patterns of socialization and value transmission within the family, turning generational differences into one of the major issues in the sociology of religion. Previous studies in Iran have focused primarily on the generational gap in its general cultural, social, and lifestyle dimensions, while the intrafamilial transmission of religious values, particularly between mothers and daughters in religiously observant families, has received less empirical investigation. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to explain and analyze the intergenerational value gap between mothers and daughters in religiously observant families in Mashhad, with particular emphasis on religious values.
Methods: The present study employed a quantitative, descriptive-analytical design, and data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire. The study population comprised 400 participants: mothers and their 12- to 15-year-old daughters residing in Mashhad, who were selected through purposive sampling. All ethical principles were observed in this study, and the authors reported no conflicts of interest.
Results: The results showed that the mean individualism score and level of mass media use were significantly higher among the children than among the mothers. The findings of the simple linear regression also indicated a strong positive correlation between the religious beliefs of parents and children (P < 0.001, r = 0.815); approximately 66.5% of the variance in the children’s religious beliefs was explained by the parents’ religious beliefs. These results indicate that, despite generational changes in individualism and communication patterns, mothers’ religious values continue to play an influential role in the formation of their daughters’ religious identity.
Conclusion: It may be concluded that, in religiously observant families, the generational gap in religious values does not signify discontinuity; rather, it primarily reflects the redefinition of values among the younger generation.
- Religious values
- Religious socialization
- Daughters
- Mass media
- Generational gap
- Individualism
- Mothers
- Mashhad
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