The effect of religiosity on families' attitudes towards circumcision/child circumcision: Mixed method research

The aim of this study is to determine the attitudes of families towards circumcision/child circumcision and to examine the effect of religiosity on these attitudes using a mixed method. Designed according to the explanatory sequential design, the research consists of quantitative and qualitative stages, respectively. The sample of the quantitative part of the research consists of 385 parents with children between the ages of 0-17 living in Kütahya and Eskişehir provinces. Simple random sampling was used for the sample. In the quantitative phase of the research, the "Personal Information Form" prepared to get to know the participants and determine their preferences regarding circumcision and "Religiosity Scale" was used as a data collection tool. Data were collected online and face-to-face. The data obtained from the quantitative part were analyzed using descriptive statistics and differentiation tests using the Spss program. The study group for the qualitative part of the study consisted of 21 parents who participated in the quantitative study and volunteered to participate in the qualitative aspect of the study. The study group was created using the maximum variation sampling method. The data in the qualitative part were collected through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured interview form. The data obtained were analyzed with the Maxqda program. According to the findings obtained in the quantitative part of the research, the level of religiosity affects the parents' views and preferences about circumcision. It has been determined that parents mostly circumcise their children for religious reasons. Those who had their children circumcised for religious reasons had higher religiosity scores, while those who had their children circumcised for tradition and environmental reasons had lower religiosity scores. In the qualitative part of the study, three themes were determined as cognitive, emotional and behavioral attitudes regarding circumcision attitudes. Eight categories and 14 subcategories were reached for these themes. The positive religious attitudes of families with high religiousness were seen to have an effect on their cognitive, emotional and behavioral attitudes towards circumcision. Key Words: Circumcision, Child Circumcision, Religiosity, Attitudes, Mixed Method