A Father's Education as a Determinant of Socioeconomic and Cultural Characteristics of Families in a Sample of Iranian Adolescents*

In: Sociological inquiry: the quarterly journal of the International Sociology Honor Society, Volume 54, Issue 1, p. 62-71

Abstract

In order to find out the degree to which a father's education can be used as a predictor of the socioeconomic status (SES) of the family, 1,047 high school students in and around Shiraz, Iran were given a questionnaire covering a wide variety of issues. A considerable variation was found in the physical, cultural, and financial milieus of subjects with different FEs (father's education). Results indicate a close association between a father's education and his occupational status and income. Subjects with better‐educated fathers have reported a higher rate of literacy among their mothers and a more culturally enriched home environment than those with less‐educated fathers. The parental homes of the high FE group also appear to be mostly located in the more fashionable, modern residential areas of the city and to contain a larger number of rooms. The findings are taken as further justification for the use of FE as an index of parental SES. The significance of education as a means of social mobility in the Iranian culture is briefly discussed and the implication of this for the educational system of the country is commented upon.