SEX-ROLES AND SEXUAL ATTITUDES OF YOUNG IRANIAN WOMEN - IMPLICATIONS FOR CROSS-CULTURAL COUNSELING

The purpose of the study was to examine the extent to which young Iran ian women in Los Angeles have held on to their traditional Iranian val ues concerning sex roles and intimate relationships. The primary focus of the investigation was to look at the effect of the educational lev el and other demographic factors on young Iranian women's attitudes to ward sex roles and sexual issues. Results of the study indicate that t he educational level of young Iranian women is related to their attitu des regarding sex roles and sexual issues. The findings also indicate a positive relationship between subjects' permissive attitudes and the length of time they have been away from Iran. There is a significant negative relationship between the age of the subject when she left Ira n and the attitudes she now holds: The younger she was when she came t o this country, the more her attitudes resemble those of the majority culture. Implications for cross-cultural counseling are discussed.