Predictors of filial responsibility toward older parents: A cross-sectional study of Iranian adults

Filial responsibility toward older parents impacts the quality of family relationships, the quality of elder care, the reluctance to send older adults in nursing facilities, and the health and care costs imposed on governments. This study aimed to examine this phenomenon and its predictors in a group of Iranian adults. In this cross-sectional study, 500 adults were selected through multistage random sampling in 2025 in Kashan, Iran. Data were collected using the Persian version of the Filial Responsibility Scale (P-FRS) and a questionnaire on potential predictors. Data were analyzed using SPSS-22 with One-Way ANOVA, Independent t-test, Pearson and Spearman–Brown correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression. The mean filial responsibility score was 51.69 ± 6.35 (95% CI: 51.13–52.25). The simultaneous presence of three variables—degree of opposition to institutionalization of older parents, psychological well-being, and age—was significant (R² = 0.088, F = 15.982, p < 0.0001). Greater opposition to institutionalization of older parents (Beta = 0.228) and better psychological well-being (Beta = 0.120) were associated with higher filial responsibility; while older age (Beta = − 0.148) was associated with lower filial responsibility. The filial responsibility score toward older parents was relatively high. Health policy planners in the field of geriatric care should consider age, psychological well-being, and attitudes toward nursing facilities when designing effective interventions to enhance filial responsibility in adults. It is recommended that future investigations of this phenomenon not rely solely on attitude assessments and self-report methods, but also incorporate objective measurement tools.