Love and Mate Selection Criteria in Blind Female Students: A Qualitative Study

Rozhan Ghafouri; Omid Isanejad

doi:10.18502/qjcr.v21i84.12106

Rozhan Ghafouri Senior expert in family counseling, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.
Omid Isanejad Associate professor, Department of Counseling, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/qjcr.v21i84.12106

Keywords: Interpretive phenomenology, blindness, love, mate selection criterion

Abstract

Aim: Blindness can drastically change the life of the person, and can create some problems in psychological and social adaptation. The purpose of the present study was to examine the love experience and the criteria for choosing a spouse among blind female students. The method used in this study was interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Methods: This research uses deep, exhaustive, and semi-structured interviews to assess 18 students. All interviews were recorded digitally, and were transcribed. The data were analyzed using van Manen’s‌ method.

Findings: Six primary themes were emerged from the nature of participants’ lived experience, including ‘romantic assumptions and believes’, ‘romantic behaviors’, ‘the impact of love-making on life’, ‘attractive factor’ in the perception of love, and ‘intrapersonal criteria’, ‘interpersonal criteria’ in spouse selection.

Conclusion: Sign and body language’ factor was among the most important communicative ways through which a blind girl makes a romantic relationship. ‘Commitment and fidelity’ were the most important criteria for spouse selection, and ‘health and beauty’ were the most important intrapersonal criteria.