Explore the self-concept and function of married women in states resulting from the interaction of illusion and disillusion: optimism, confusion, realism and devastation

Careful study of self-concept and function together and in different societies can lead to a deeper understanding of these concepts and how they change, However, so far the study of self-concept and function in the society of married women has been neglected in optimism, confusion, realism and devastation states.

The aim of this study was to investigate the self-concept and function of married women in optimism, confusion, realism and devastation states.

This study was conducted with qualitative approach and phenomenological method. The study population of the present study included all married women in 2019 in Isfahan, 60 of whom were selected in four groups by purposive sampling from among those who had the highest score in the four states of the researcher-made illusion and disillusion questionnaire. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed by thematic analysis.

Findings included 8 main themes in self-concept and 8 main themes in function analysis which generally showed positive self-concept and optimal function in the spouse role in optimism state, negative self-concept and adverse function in devastation state, instability self-concept and dysfunction in confusion state, self-concept matched successes and failures, and function which consistent with motivation and goals in realism mode. 

The results showed that being in each of the four states has a decisive role in self-concept and function of married women.