Qualitative Study of Family Functioning in the Era of Corona; A Case Study of Tehran City

Abstract
Periods of extensive transformation, such as world wars and deadly disease outbreaks, often prompt deep reviews of institutional performance, including the family. The COVID-19 pandemic is one such crisis that has significantly impacted the Iranian family, necessitating reevaluation. This study examines how the functions of family institutions in Tehran, Iran’s most populous and diverse city, have been reformulated post-pandemic. Tehran’s demographic, ethnic, class and cultural diversity creates a challenging environment for families, making it an apt case for study. Given the importance of the family in meeting individuals’ needs and its role in structural changes across society, this research explores how the functions of families in Tehran can be reevaluated after the pandemic. 
Keywords: Family Changes, Qualitative Research Method, Theme Analysis, Coronavirus.
 
1. Introduction
The family, a fundamental institution in human society, has experienced significant changes in its structure and meaning over recent decades despite its enduring presence (Cavanagh, 2008). As roles within the family evolve, complexity increases, and conflicts may arise if members, particularly spouses, cannot adapt to these changes (Dehghani et al., 2017).
There is a concern that the family’s importance might be waning in modern society. However, despite claims about the diminishing role of the family, any societal change in Iran is deeply rooted in the family. The family remains central to societal transformations, making it essential to study factors affecting family functions and values (Labibi, 2014). Major global events, like the COVID-19 pandemic, have accelerated these transformations by challenging traditional family roles and functions. The pandemic removed functional boundaries between various societal roles, turning homes into multifunctional spaces for work, education, healthcare, and leisure. This sudden shift exposed underlying issues within family dynamics and forced individuals to assume new roles, often unprepared. Quarantine and remote interactions led to a reevaluation of family roles and relationships, revealing both weaknesses and new opportunities. In Tehran, the most populous and diverse city in Iran, these changes are particularly pronounced due to its demographic, ethnic, class, and cultural diversity. This diversity makes Tehran an ideal case for studying the impacts of the pandemic on family functions. This research aims to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the perception and performance of family roles in Tehran, providing insights into broader implications for family dynamics in contemporary society.

 
2. Materials and Methods
This study is based on thematic analysis method outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006), which emphasizes identifying common features among data rather than unique individual experiences. The aim is to recognize patterns of meaning relevant to the research topic and questions.
Theoretical sampling was employed in this study. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using coding and thematic network analysis. Transcriptions and notes underwent coding, were segmented into smaller parts, and themes were subsequently extracted, refined, and categorized based on the research question. 

3. Discussion
The COVID-19 pandemic brought widespread confusion about the future, accompanied by stress, anxiety, and the spread of misinformation, turning families into spaces where emotions like sadness, joy, stress, and difficulty in interaction were shared. The collapse of various social boundaries and the merging of all these institutions into the family unit provided an opportunity for significant rethinking of family functions. This process forced family members into continuous negotiation to adopt suitable approaches. On one hand, the pandemic led to the loss of individual freedoms, especially for children, who, due to quarantine, were under the constant watch of their families, resulting in feelings of bitterness and a perception of restriction. On the other hand, spending long days at home together compelled individuals to get to know each other better, offering new opportunities to develop relationship management strategies. Although no direct mention of experiencing violence was found in the findings, keywords related to negative collective emotions, feelings of pressure, isolation, and concern over losing relationships were frequently repeated. Additionally, business closures, fear of poverty, and home-based education created challenging conditions for family members, transforming the home from a place of leisure and comfort into a central area for meeting needs previously addressed by other institutions.
 
4. Conclusion
The findings of this study reveal that the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly transformed family functions by highlighting differences in daily life, altering power dynamics among family members, and changing the way rituals are conducted. Families aware of their situation and actively resolving problems experienced the least conflict and demonstrated the most effective adaptation in managing household affairs and member relations. Key themes identified in the study include:
Support and suppression within families were evident. Some families strengthened emotional bonds through trial and error, re-evaluating relationships, and problem-solving. Others faced emotional breakdowns, marked by feelings of confinement and a longing for pre-pandemic conditions.
The pandemic accelerated children’s entry into the workforce, changed economic power structures, and transformed business operations. Virtual workspaces and remote working became prevalent, prompting all family members to contribute economically and necessitating a re-evaluation of traditional work environments.
Families faced confusion over health authorities, the spread of pseudo-science, and varying trust in scientific information. The pursuit of health, driven by media literacy and the need to balance traditional and modern treatments, became central concerns.
Children gained educational independence, parents often had to re-learn to support their children’s schooling, and a full commitment to children’s education became essential. This led to new educational strategies, with parents sometimes surpassing teachers in guiding their children.
There was a shift in recognizing the powerful role of mothers in managing the household and fulfilling family functional needs.
Ceremonies like births, weddings, and funerals were often canceled or altered, leading to reduced social interactions and a focus on immediate family relationships, with virtual connections becoming more common.
With external leisure activities restricted, families created new forms of entertainment at home, prioritizing family-based activities such as home movie nights over traditional outings like going to the cinema.