The effectiveness of mental resilience training on the quality of life and life expectancy of mothers of deaf children in Rasht city

Dissertation for Master's Degree

General Psychology Department

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of mental resilience training on the quality of life and life expectancy of mothers of deaf children in Rasht city. The statistical population of this research includes all mothers with deaf children. In this research, 30 mothers whose children are studying in Baghcheban Educational Complex in Rasht in 2013-2014 were selected as a statistical sample by a simple random method. The measurement tool of this research is Schneider's life expectancy and quality of life test [1]. The research design is of pre-test and post-test type with control and experimental groups. The experimental group was taught resilience during 10 sessions of 1.5 hours. Then, the post-test was performed for both groups. In order to analyze the data, the covariance analysis method was used and the research results showed that resilience training can increase the life expectancy and quality of life of mothers with deaf children. According to the results obtained from the data output in covariance analysis using spss software and taking into account the significance of the difference in means as well as the significance of F (F = 4.635) and (Sig < 0.05), it can be concluded with 95% confidence that reflective training methods are effective in increasing the quality of life and also improving the life expectancy of mothers of deaf children in Rasht city, and the main hypothesis of this research is based on (the effect of mental resilience training on Quality of life and life expectancy of mothers of deaf children) are confirmed. Key words: mental resilience, life expectancy, quality of life, deaf children. Although this process is accompanied by many hardships and discomforts, the hope that the child will be healthy and normal usually creates a feeling of trust in them and they accept their child, but as soon as the parents become aware of their child's disability, all wishes and hopes turn into despair and problems begin. For example, parents of children with disabilities experience more stress and depression than other parents. (Bahri et al., 2013: 5)

Exceptional children and parents not only have a mutual effect on each other, but also affect other members of the family system, i.e. other children. The presence of an exceptional child (mentally retarded, blind, deaf, with learning disabilities) sometimes disrupts the mental health of the family and can cause serious harm to family members, especially parents. He sees the incompatibility of deaf and blind people mostly because of the way society treats them. Man is a social being. In the community, due to the presence of various relationships, having a supporter and reducing feelings of loneliness, he can relieve many of the pressures in his life, and therefore he needs support from the community. Social support is defined as the amount of affection, companionship and attention of family members, friends and other people. Research shows that parents of disabled children are more vulnerable to stress. In a research, high levels of stress were found in 70% of mothers and 40% of fathers with severely disabled children. One of these physical disabilities is deafness. The view that hearing parents are more stressed than deaf parents. Having a deaf child can cause tension and mental pressure for parents and increase the level of behavioral and family problems. Deaf parents who have a deaf child have a better situation than hearing parents of deaf children. In this way, hearing parents with deaf children experience failure in communication with their children, and this failure in communication is probably the reason why they show a higher level of tension (Bahri et al., 2013: 5).

Every family may face various problems and difficulties during their lifetime; including illness, divorce, death of a family member, work problems, natural disasters and addiction of members or disability. Recently, the role of resilience has been raised in the field of family psychology.

Resilience is a new concept that has received attention in recent years. Determining the factors that act as resilience factors according to individual, family, and social characteristics is among the interests of researchers in the field of resilience. Resilience is a psychological concept that explains how people cope with unexpected situations. Resilience means stubbornness in the face of stress, the ability to return to the normal state and to survive and try hard during adverse conditions.

In this research, the effect of psychological resilience training on the quality of life and life expectancy of mothers of deaf and hard of hearing children is measured. This research is organized in five chapters. In the first chapter, the generalities of the research, which include the statement of the problem, the importance and necessity of the research, as well as the objectives and assumptions of the research, are given. In the second chapter, resilience, quality of life and deafness and related theories are discussed. In the third chapter, the research method has been mentioned, where the post-test and pre-test types have been used, with two control and experimental groups. In the fourth chapter, the analysis of the research data, which is in the form of descriptive and inferential statistics, has been discussed, and finally, in the fifth chapter, the results obtained from the tables and findings have been presented, and at the end of this chapter, the researcher has also made suggestions.

12 statement of the problem

One of the most natural groups that can satisfy human needs is the family.  The duty of the family is to take care of the children and raise them, to establish healthy communication between the members and to help the independence of the children, even if the mentally disabled child is blind or deaf. The Executive Committee of the Conference of Managers of Specialized Education for the Deaf states in the definition of deafness; Hearing impairment is a generic term that represents a number of hearing disabilities that may vary in severity and weakness from mild to profound and includes two subgroups of deaf and hard of hearing. (Narimani, 1386: 16-15)

The presence of a deaf child in any family affects the structure of that family and overshadows the mental health of the family, especially the parents, the child involves the whole family in a crisis due to severe conflicts between family members. It is possible that family relationships, increasing unwanted physical, emotional and financial pressures can cause a deaf child to cause irreparable damage and effects on the mental health of the family, including intensification of marital disputes, separation, bearing a heavy economic burden, depression, despair, anxiety, embarrassment and anger1 and many other issues (Berden2, 1980). Continuous care of a deaf child is often stressful for parents because these children's difficulties inevitably affect their lives (Kernick et al., 1983). Research has shown that parents of deaf children are generally at risk of family life problems and emotional difficulties (Beckman 4, 1991 (

Quitner et al. (2000) found that mothers with deaf children have less relationship with family and friends in social networks than mothers of hearing children). On the other hand, resilience is determined by the individual's response to stressful life events or continuous exposure to stress. Resilience is a factor that helps people in Confronting and adapting to stressful life conditions helps and protects them against mental disorders and life problems. Resilient people have a high personal adaptation to environmental stressors in their lives (Bahri et al., 2013: 6-7) and the family is a social system and a disabled child is one of the members of this system. These two not only affect each other, but also affect other members of this system, i.e. parents and other children. The existence of a disabled child causes irreparable damage and effects on the mental health of the family, the mother and father suffer greatly from having such a child, the majority of this group suffers from depression, anxiety, aggression, fear, embarrassment, death wish and the like.

Resilience is defined as the process, the ability or outcome of successful adaptation to threatening conditions, it is not just passive resistance against injuries or threatening conditions, but a resilient person, an active participant and creator of the surrounding environment. is itself