Impact of parental communication patterns on Arab women’s choice of careers: Case study: Lebanon

Abstract

This chapter explores the impact of parental communication patterns on Arab women's choices of educational fields, careers, and advancement at large. While not particularly focusing on the technical aspects of communication, this study serves as an example of the importance of the content of communication and its impact on the unfolding of women's lives in the Arab world. Using the sequential exploratory strategy as a research methodology that combines qualitative and quantitative research techniques, this study examines the content of some of the messages communicated to Lebanese women by their parents regarding the male-female division of roles at the early stages of their lives. The findings of this study provide empirical data confirming the parental endorsement of the traditional, stereotypical gender roles to their children during childhood socialization and the pursuits of education and careers. The results, therefore, highlight the need for Arab societies to change the content of the messages they communicate to their children towards a more egalitarian language, content, and tone to enable the future generation of Arab women to rise to the challenges and effectively contribute to the development of their families, communities, and nations, amidst the multilayered transformations in the Arab region.