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:: Volume 12, Issue 3 (Vol12 No3 Fall 2025- 2025) ::
J Child Ment Health 2025, 12(3): 29-44 Back to browse issues page
Exploration of the concept of respect in children and adolescents
Parvaneh Karimi1 , Jahangir Karami *2 , Khodamorad Momeni2
1- Faculty of Social Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran
2- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran
Abstract:   (1054 Views)
Background and Purpose: Respect, as a key concept in the social and moral development of children and adolescents, plays a pivotal role in fostering positive and healthy relationships among peers and within society. It is recognized not only as a moral value but also as an influential factor in shaping and strengthening prosocial behavior.
Method: The present study employed a qualitative approach using Heideggerian interpretive phenomenology to explore how meanings associated with the concept of “respect” are constructed and interpreted by children and adolescents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 143 participants aged 6, 8, 10, 12, and 15 from the city of Kermanshah, selected through purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, assisted by MAXQDA 2024 software.
Result: The analysis revealed six main themes: authority, social convention, prosocial behavior, fairness, merit, and personal freedom. A clear developmental trajectory was observed: at age 6, respect was primarily conceptualized through authority; at age 8, the focus shifted to prosocial behaviors such as helping, kindness, and empathy; at age 10, this was complemented by an understanding of social convention, including social norms and customs; by age 12, justice, fairness, and equality emerged as the central component; and finally, at age 15, adolescents described respect through the abstract concepts of merit and personal freedom.
Conclusion: By mapping the developmental trajectory of the concept of respect, this study underscores the importance of considering this developmental process when designing educational and social programs. The findings suggest that age-appropriate interventions can contribute to cultivating a more empathetic, just, and responsible generation, while also providing a foundation for future research in this area.
Article number: 3
Keywords: Concept of respect, children, adolescents
Full-Text [PDF 1479 kb]   (354 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2025/07/10 | Accepted: 2025/09/21 | Published: 2025/10/5
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Karimi P, Karami J, Momeni K. Exploration of the concept of respect in children and adolescents. J Child Ment Health 2025; 12 (3) : 3
URL: http://childmentalhealth.ir/article-1-1516-en.html
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Volume 12, Issue 3 (Vol12 No3 Fall 2025- 2025) Back to browse issues page
فصلنامه سلامت روان کودک Quarterly Journal of Child Mental Health
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