The Family in the Mirror: Generational Values and Attitudes of the Portuguese Regarding the Family

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article presented is an interesting and reliable analysis of quantitative research conducted in Portugal on a representative group of 3,634 people living in that country on the contemporary understanding of the family and its place in the beliefs of the respondents. The text clearly shows that, on the one hand, the family continues to occupy an important place in Portuguese society and is an important and valued value for a significant number of people, while on the other hand, changes in Portuguese society in recent decades have also contributed to a departure from the traditional view of the family, the roles of husband and wife, the upbringing of children, etc.

The entire article is well-structured, logical, precise, with an appropriate use of terms and selection of literature. The methodology used is correct and clear, presented appropriately in the “Materials and methods” section. The results are discussed correctly and extensively. The following issues were identified in the survey: family values, the relationship between values and religion, changes in the understanding of family values, and challenges facing contemporary parents. The comprehensiveness, accuracy, and precision of the discussion of the research results should also be appreciated. The conclusions and charts are also correctly formulated.

The article is a valuable empirical contribution to contemporary discussions and research on the family, particularly from a sociological perspective, which is reflected in the text.

 

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

On behalf of both authors, we would like to sincerely thank you for your careful and constructive review of our manuscript.

We were extremely pleased and motivated to read your comments. It is very rewarding to see that the methodological rigor, logical structure, and discussion of the results were recognized and appreciated.

We especially appreciate your excellent summary of our study's main conclusions, which demonstrates a deep understanding of our work. Your validation that the article constitutes a "valuable empirical contribution to contemporary discussions on the family" is the highest praise we could have hoped for.

Your positive feedback gives us great confidence in the relevance and quality of our research.

Sincerely.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

Dear Author/s,

The study stands out through a coherent structure, with clearly defined objectives formulated in alignment with the research topic. The hypotheses are well constructed, testable, and relevant to the intended purpose. The chosen methodology is appropriate for the type of study and is applied rigorously, respecting the essential stages of quantitative research. The data collection instruments are well designed, and the analysis of results is accurately conducted and supported by the data.

This study makes an important contribution to the understanding of how families in today’s Portugal are changing, especially in terms of the values adopted by new family models.

However, I would like to offer some suggestions that may enhance the overall quality of the paper.

1) lines 36-38: given that at line 36 you are referring to the `first modernity`, I believe that, in order to differentiate the current stage of modernity from the first one, it is necessary to adopt one of the established terms such as late modernity, postmodernity, ultramodernity, etc.

2) In paragraph 4 of your paper, you discuss how the process of secularization has affected family life in Portugal. You also note that this process has not been as pronounced as in other parts of Europe, and that it can be described using Grace Davie’s expression `believing without belonging`. I believe this idea should be reflected in the abstract of the study, as it would help to more clearly highlight the role of religion in the lives of contemporary families in Portugal.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

We would like to begin by thanking you for the time and attention you dedicated to reviewing our article. We appreciate your positive comments on the structure and methodological rigor of our work, as well as your constructive suggestions, which were very helpful in improving the quality of the paper.

Below, we present our responses to each of your observations.

 

Comments and corresponding responses

Comment 1:

lines 36-38: given that at line 36 you are referring to the first modernity, I believe that, in order to differentiate the current stage of modernity from the first one, it is necessary to adopt one of the established terms such as late modernity, postmodernity, ultramodernity, etc.

Our Response:

In order to differentiate between the different stages of modernity, and as per your suggestion, we have included the term ‘late modernity’ to refer to this period.

See introduction, line 12.

Comment 2:

In paragraph 4 of your paper, you discuss how the process of secularization has affected family life in Portugal. You also note that this process has not been as pronounced as in other parts of Europe, and that it can be described using Grace Davie’s expression believing without belonging. I believe this idea should be reflected in the abstract of the study, as it would help to more clearly highlight the role of religion in the lives of contemporary families in Portugal.

Our Response:

As suggested, in the abstract of the study, we now make reference to the fact that the process of secularisation in Portugal fits the idea of ‘believing without belonging’, as expressed by Grace Davie.

See abstract, lines 9-10.

We believe that the changes made in response to your observations have strengthened the article. Thank you once again for your valuable contribution.