Document Type : Research/Original/Regular

Authors

• Fatemeh Ghiyasi ¹
• Solmaz Dabiri ²

¹ MSc, Educational Psychology, Department of Psychology, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to propose a predictive model for assessing the quality of life of stay-at-home mothers, taking into account their usage of social media and the mediating effect of loneliness. This research employed a descriptive-correlational approach, utilizing structural equation modeling. The study's population consisted of all housewives residing in the 6th district of Tehran. A research sample of 400 mothers was selected utilizing the available sampling procedure. The research instruments used in the study included the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire, the Media Usage Questionnaire, and the Loneliness Questionnaire. The structural equation modeling method was utilized to evaluate the model. The results showed that the proposed model had a good fit with the data. Also, the results indicated that the use of social media usage, both directly and indirectly, through the mediation of loneliness, significantly affected the quality of life of housewife mothers (P=0.000). Based on the research findings, it is crucial to investigate and address key factors such as social media usage and feelings of loneliness that impact the quality of life for stay-at-home mothers. By doing so, we can work towards promoting and enhancing the overall well-being of these mothers.

Highlights

Background and Purpose

 One of the most valuable and fulfilling roles that a woman can embrace is that of a mother and wife, which involves nurturing and supporting her family within the context of their home. The primary responsibility of a housewife is to manage the household effectively and attend to the family's various needs (Kaplan, 2021). Furthermore, women play a crucial role in society as they raise children and prepare them for their future social participation (Kundu et al., 2022). However, they are typically portrayed as a marginalized group whose sole source of identity is in embracing the roles of mother and wife. Unfortunately, they have been socially neglected, and their contributions are not adequately acknowledged (Kaplan, 2022). For this reason, they perceive the nature of housekeeping as unfair, resulting in many dysfunctions such as feelings of redundancy, futility, decreased efficiency, and diminished quality of life (Kundu et al., 2022).

Quality of life refers to individuals' subjective evaluation of their overall well-being, considering their social and cultural context, goals, and concerns (Goodyear et al., 2021). The phenomenon is subject to multiple influences, such as the experience of loneliness (Kian et al., 2022) and engagement with social media platforms (Bakry et al., 2022; Kusumota et al., 2022). Housewives play a crucial role in nurturing their children and preparing them for society. However, these women often lack financial security during challenging times and neglect their personal growth, awareness, and interests (Kundu et al., 2022). This can lead to frustration, reduced quality of life, and ultimately, a decline in the mental well-being of both the family and society. Hence, it is imperative to carry out study in this domain. Given the scarcity of research on the quality of life and its determinants among Iranian housewives, this study aims to address this gap by examining the following hypotheses:

• The feelings of loneliness mediate the relationship between the use of social media usage and the quality of life of housewife mothers.
• The social media usage predicts the quality of life of housewife mothers.
• The feelings of loneliness predict the quality of life of housewife mothers.

Method

The present study employed a descriptive-correlational research design. The study's statistical population comprised all the housewives residing in the 6th district of Tehran in 2022. A sample of 400 housewives was chosen using the convenience sampling technique. Regarding the age distribution in the sample, 29 individuals (7.2%) are under 20 years old, 79 individuals (19.8%) are between 20 and 29 years old, 81 individuals (20.3%) are between 30 and 39 years old, 85 individuals (21.1%) are between 40 and 49 years old, 63 individuals (15.8%) are between 50 and 59 years old, and 63 individuals (15.8%) are over 60 years old.

The instruments utilized were the World Health Organization's (1996) quality of life questionnaires, for which the Cronbach's alpha coefficients were .82, .81, .78, and .76, respectively, for the subscales of physical health, mental health, social relations, and environmental health. The Feeling of Loneliness Questionnaire was an additional instrument utilized (Dehshiri et al., 2007).

The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the subscales of family loneliness, social loneliness, and emotional loneliness were .83, .87, and .75, respectively. The study also employed a media usage questionnaire developed by Mahmoudian et al. (2014). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the Internet, foreign media, and domestic media subscales were .85, .74, and .56, respectively.

Results

The study revealed a statistically significant positive correlation (ranging from .29 to .10) between the different aspects of using social media and the various aspects of quality of life (p < .05). Additionally, there was a significant negative correlation (ranging from -.35 to -.21) between the different aspects of feelings of loneliness and the various aspects of quality of life (p < . 05).

Table 1. Total, direct, and indirect path coefficients between the variables in the structural model

1. The bootstrap estimation method was employed with a sample size of 2000 to calculate the standard error of indirect paths.

The findings indicated that there is a positive and significant relationship (β=.359, P-value<.01) between the extent of social media usage and the quality of life of housewife mothers. The correlation coefficient between feelings of loneliness and the quality of life of housewife mothers is negative and statistically significant (β=-.349, P-value < .01). The coefficient of the indirect relationship between social media usage and the quality of life of housewife mothers is statistically significant (β=.146, P-value <.01).

Discussion & Conclusion

Based on the literature and research findings, it is evident that the quality of life of housewives is of great importance, not only in their personal lives but also in relation to their role within the family and their network of family relationships with key family members. Quality of life is a complex concept that encompasses various dimensions. If we aim to enhance the well-being of mothers and increase their overall satisfaction, it is crucial to take into account these factors along with other components.

Keywords

• Quality of Life
• Housewife Mothers
• Use of Social Media Usage
• Feeling of Loneliness

Main Subjects

• Woman and family