Investigation of the relationship between life satisfaction levels and family functions of parents with disabled children

In this study, it was aimed to examine the relationship between life satisfaction levels and family functions of parents with disabled children. In our study, relational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods, was used. The population of our study consists of a total of 232 parents, 190 women and 42 men, who live in Gaziosmanpaşa District of Istanbul Province and have mentally disabled children between the ages of 06-25. Within the scope of the study, Personal Information Form, Satisfaction with Life Scale and Family Assessment Scale were used as data collection tools. The scales were transferred to the online environment and families with children with intellectual disabilities were enabled to answer the questions in a digital environment. IBM SPSS 25 statistical program was used to analyze the data obtained. In the study; distribution analysis, descriptive analysis, independent sample T test and ONE-WAY ANOVA analysis from parametric hypothesis tests, and Correlation analysis was applied for the relationship. In our study, when the total scores of the parents from the Satisfaction with Life Scale were analyzed, statistically significant differences were found according to the variables of age, education level, income status, whether the families receive any social support over their children, whether the spouses help each other in the care of the children, disturbing environmental reactions about the disability of the children, the degree of disability of the child, and the type of disability of the child. There was no statistically significant difference in the Life Satisfaction levels of the parents according to the variables of gender, whether or not there are disabled individuals in the family or relatives, whether or not they receive any education about disability and disability and the gender of their children. When the total scores of the parents from the Family Assessment Scale were analyzed, statistically significant differences and unhealthy family functions were found in the total score and some sub-dimensions of the Family Assessment Scale according to the variables of gender, education level, income status, whether there are other disabled people in the family and relatives, whether the spouses help each other in the care of the children, what are the disturbing environmental reactions about the disability of the children, the type of disability of their children and the degree of disability of the child. No statistically significant difference was found in the total score and all sub-dimensions of the Family Assessment Scale according to the variables of whether or not the parents received any education about disability and the gender of their children. On the basis of these findings, it was determined that there was a weak negative relationship between life satisfaction and family functions of parents with disabled children. In other words, it was determined that diminished family functioning will negatively impact family life satisfaction.