Psychological research has mainly focused on the mother-daughter relationships while father-daughter dyad has received comparatively less attention. While some research on the father-daughter dyad exists in general, very little research looks at that dyad within the Iranian-American community. This doctoral dissertation will look specifically at the Iranian-American father-daughter dyad. This study examined the significance of the role fathers' play in their daughter's development, value formation, and their adult interpersonal relationships with men, within the Iranian-American community.

The objectives of this research study were to identify the effects of the Iranian-American father-daughter dyad on the daughter's sexuality, self-concept, and adult interpersonal relationships with men to determine the long-term impact of the Iranian-American father on his daughter's future development and romantic relationships through the lens of attachment theory. The phenomenological approach of this study identified and explored the participants/ self-reported accounts of their relationship with their fathers, and their father's parenting style. The primary source of data collection was from semi-structured interviews lasting approximately two hours each, with six different heterosexual, Iranian-American women between the ages of 25 and 40. The interview involved questions regarding the participants' childhood relationships with their fathers, as well as past and current serious romantic relationships with men.

This study suggests that Iranian-American fathers have a complex and unique influence on how their daughters relate to romantic male partners. The researcher discovered that within the Iranian-American community, fathers have positive relationships with their daughters, and vice-versa, and that it has a positive impact on their eventual choice of a romantic partner. For example, Iranian-American fathers value educational achievements and financial independence.

This challenges a common stereotype of Middle Eastern fathers wanting their daughters to get married and have children. Iranian-American fathers also value in-group marriage, but also upheld stricter views of premarital intimacy and the appropriateness or perception of dating too young. Participants had generally positive relationships with their father in many ways, even if they chafed at some of his beliefs and values. Respondents described a positive and affable relationship with their fathers, with many of them describing it as a close relationship. It is important to note that there was a very clear evidence of the influence of the Iranian community and culture on the father-daughter relationships.

When faced with intimate relationships, participants felt that their partners largely matched their fathers' qualities and characteristics, with specific and nuanced differences seemingly hand-selected by the respondents. This could speak to participants' ability to accurately judge their wants, needs and desires informed by their own experiences and observations. These women would likely be happier with their partner choice than someone who has not yet set accurate expectations. Participants showed themselves to be fulfilled and satisfied with their current relationship and situation, and overall happy not only with their current romantic partners, but generally both forgiving and content about their past choices, even when they ended in divorce. It is suggested that the father-daughter relationship is a strong predictor of a woman's future intimate relationships with men. It was further found that this relationship affects a woman's self-perceptions and feelings of happiness in relationships with men. Overall, it is clear that the participants in this research study had strong relationships with their adult male partners, and this may well be correlated with the their strong relationships with their fathers.