Investigating the Impact of Economic, Social-cultural, Environmental and Spatial Factors on Return Migration in Rural Areas (Case Study: Bandar Khamir County)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Firoozeh Behi ¹

Seyed Asghar Mousavi ²

Amrollah Rashedzadeh ²

¹ Bushehr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bushehr, Iran.

² Bushehr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bushehr, Iran

10.22067/jrrp.v14i4.2511-1153

Abstract

Purpose- Increasing economic pressures, environmental degradation, and public health challenges in urban areas have been identified as key drivers motivating individuals to return to rural regions. This study examines the influence of economic, socio-cultural, environmental, and spatial factors on return migration to rural areas, focusing on Bandar Khamir County in Iran as a case study.
Design/methodology/approach- This study employed a descriptive-analytical approach and a quantitative method. The statistical population included Bandar Khamir residents, and a sample of 300 people was selected using a simple random sampling method. A researcher-developed Return Migration Questionnaire was utilised to examine the research variables. This questionnaire was designed to cover four factors: economic, social-cultural, environmental, and spatial factors. Several professors and experts verified the face validity of this scale, and its reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, which produced a coefficient of 0.90. This is regarded as a highly satisfactory value for the questionnaire. The study utilized LISREL for structural analysis to verify the measurement model's validity, and SPSS for statistical processing. Specifically, the Chi-square test was calculated using SPSS version 23.
Findings- The results showed that economic, socio-cultural, environmental, and spatial factors all have a positive and statistically significant effect on return migration. Economic factors had the strongest impact (β = 0.929; R² = 0.863), explaining 86.3% of the variance in return migration. Environmental (β = 0.923; R² = 0.852) and socio-cultural factors (β = 0.907; R² = 0.822) also demonstrated strong explanatory power, while spatial factors showed a comparatively lower but still significant effect (β = 0.805; R² = 0.648). Chi-square test results confirmed all four hypotheses at p < 0.001 (df = 299). Economic factors had the highest association with return migration (χ² = 172.534), followed by spatial (χ² = 118.421), environmental (χ² = 97.842), and socio-cultural factors (χ² = 83.327). Overall, the findings indicate that all four dimensions significantly influence return migration behavior, with economic determinants playing the most prominent role.
Research limitations/implications- The study relied exclusively on a self-report questionnaire as the sole instrument for data collection. Participant selection was limited to migrants, meaning the findings reflect only this specific group's perceptions rather than a multi-stakeholder perspective.
Practical implications- The results of this study have a significant impact on the development of public policies related to return migration. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that return migration to Bandar Khamir is driven by a complex set of issues, influenced by economic, social-cultural, environmental and spatial factors. Return migration represents a viable strategy for rural revitalization and balanced regional development. The findings suggest that addressing urban crises requires investing in rural alternatives. 

Keywords

Return Migration

Economic factors

Spatial factors

Bandar Khamir County

Subjects

• Rural Studies

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