Challenges of Educating Single-Child Students: Perspectives of  First-Grade Elementary Teachers in Yazd, Iran

Delaram  Darvishpour; Hossain  Hassani; Guido Veronese

doi:10.18502/jsbch.v9i2.20264

Delaram Darvishpour Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
Hossain Hassani Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
Guido Veronese Department of Human Sciences and Education "Riccardo Massa", Milano-Bicocca State University, Milan, Italy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jsbch.v9i2.20264

Keywords: Education, Qualitative Research, Only Child, Students, School Teachers.

Abstract

Background: The aim of the current research is to study the views of first grade elementary school teachers in Yazd about the challenges of working with single-child students.

Methods: In this qualitative descriptive study, 15 primary school teachers were selected through theoretical sampling. The criteria for determining sample size were achieving the theoretical saturation in extracted categories. The inclusion criteria were willingness to participate and at least one academic year of teaching experience with single-child students in the classroom. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews conducted over a period of 3 months. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis with a conventional (inductive) approach. To ensure research rigor, the authors addressed trustworthiness through four criteria: (1) credibility (via member checking and peer debriefing), (2) transferability (thick description of context), (3) dependability (audit trail of research process), and (4) confirmability (researcher reflexivity journals). Triangulation was achieved through multiple data sources and analyst cross-checking.

Results: Three core themes emerged from the analysis, with twenty distinct subthemes illuminating the challenges faced by single-child students in classroom settings:Social Competency Deficits (Social isolation, peer incompatibility, egocentric behaviors, conflict resolution difficulties, rule-compliance challenges, friendship formation barriers), Developmental Vulnerability Traits (Depressive tendencies, obsessive behaviors, low self-efficacy, poor resilience, indecisiveness, digital overreliance, self-regulation gaps, delayed social acceptance, passive listening, accountability deficits),Emotional Regulation Difficulties (Separation anxiety, perceived deviance distress, emotional dysregulation, excessive validation-seeking).

Conclusion: The study reveals that single-child students' developmental trajectories are significantly shaped by their limited peer socialization opportunities, which are manifested in three interrelated domains: underdeveloped social competencies, heightened vulnerability in personality development, and impaired emotional regulation capacities. These findings suggest that the absence of sibling relationships may create distinct socialization challenges that classroom environments must intentionally address through targeted pedagogical interventions.