Inte rnatio nal Jo urnal o f Sc ie ntific & Eng inee ring Re se arc h Vo lume 3, Issue 2, Fe bruary -2012 1

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Studying the relation between control source with hypochondria and life satisfaction of parents having mental retarded children

Faramarz Sabeghi, Hossein Jenaabadi

Abs tract— The study w as done to investigate the relation betw een controlling w ith hypochondria and lif e satisf action of parents having children w ith mental retardation. It is a correlative study. 200 sample parents (100 mothers and 100 f athers) w ere chosen using simple random sampling. This study includes three questionnaires: Ratter control scale (83% kranbakh alpha), Hypochondria (79% kranbakh alpha) and Taf t’s lif e satisf action scale (83% kranbakh alpha). Independent T test, correlation coeff icient and regression an alysis w ere used to analyze data in this research. According to regression test, there is a signif icant negative correlation betw een control source and lif e satisf action. But there is no signif icant relation betw een control source and hypochondria. Results also show ed that there is no signif icant diff erence betw een parents w ith internal control source and those w ith external control source of hypochondria. Parents w ith internal

control source are more satisf ied in lif e than those w ith external control source. Results also show ed that lif e satisf action has a direct relation w ith hypochondria and f athers are more satisf ied in lif e than mothers .

Inde x Terms— control source, hypochondria, lif e satisf action, mental retardation.

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1 INTRODUCTION

ENTAL retardation or failure of mental powers is not a hot topic. In each period, there are people in societies
who do not have natural mind. Different stati stics show that children with IQ lower than 70 i.e. mental retarded ones in- clude 1-2% of population in countries (Milani, 2001). One i m- portant thing in mental retarded people is their mental prob- lems whether they or their family and relatives are mental retarded. Observation of psychologists and physicians shows that mental retarded child brings about problems in the family particularly if other family children have natural IQ or even higher then natural. Parents’ reactions to their mental retarded children are not the same. Mental retardation degree, psychol- ogist and psychiatrist advices, social and economical status and parents’ personality are different. Of the commonest reac- tions of parents having mental retarded chil dren are guilty feeling, failure, nervousness and concern (Milani, 2001). Stu d- ying the relation between control source and hypochondria and life satisfaction is one of issues that should be studied to help parents having mental retarded children and it plays a vital role in decreasing parents’ problems. Control source is one of topics related to document theory in which it is as- sumed to seek understanding the affairs and events causes (Seif, 2001). Control place is important in control source. Con- trol place was first developed by Ann Julian Ratter (1996). It has been formulated for individual beliefs in source. It is as- sumed in the theory that people are divided into two groups regarding belief in control place. One group a ttributes their success and failure to themselves and the other attributes them

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 Faculty Member Department Education University of Sistan and Balu- chestan, Zahedan, Iran.

 Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Sistan and Baluchestan,

Zahedan, Iran.

to external factors. The former is called people with internal control source and the latter is external control source (Seif,
2001). In a study done by Kosari (2001), the effect of control source on individual and social adaptation of high school stu- dents was investigated and concluded that in general control source relates to adaptation. It shows that internal control source can be a factor for controlling events and increasing individual adaptation in order to be more satisfied in personal and social life. Frasat (2004) studied and compared control source and marital satisfaction among employed women and housewives. Results show that there is a signi ficant difference between control source of employed women and housewives and housewives have more external control source than em- ployed women. Results also showed that housewives are more satisfied in their life. A research done by Ratter show that people with internal control source is mentally and physically healthier than those with external control source. They re- ceived better grades in school and they believe to have more rights for choosing and they are socially more famous and skillful and have higher self esteem (Seif, 2001). Another prob- lem that parents of mental retarded children face with is h y- pochondria. Hypochondriac people are very concerned about their health. This disease increases by age rising and occurs in women, the olds and middle aged people more than others (Shamloo, 2003). A hypochondrium has psychosomatic symp- toms although the missed physical actions are not destroyed. Most of studies show that hypochondria will be formed based on matching with pa rents, sisters and brothers who are sick. All authors agreed with the role that parents play in this re- gard. According to Conner studies, in 53% of cases, parents of the child have hypochondria (Dadsetan, 1967 cited from attor- ney 1379). Identifying life satisfaction and the factors that i n- crease or decrease it are also important. Compel defined life satisfaction as the difference between what person want and what it is. According to multiple contradiction theory of Alex Michalos, life satisfaction has been identified by perception of

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person from what objects are and what objects can be. Cons i- dering life satisfaction has important role in social and ind i- vidual efficiency and healthy person is the most basic element of development and health society, the factors that can in- crease life satisfaction of people should be noted. Regarding problems of parents having mental retarded children, it is n e- cessary to study the factors that can facilitate difficulties and help parents to change their thoughts in these conditions (Mo- fidi, 1997). So in order to explain the cause and problem statement of the research, considering place of source control in people life especially people who face problem such as mental retarded children, it is possible that in all stages of life, parents seek the cause of their menta l retarded children. This affected negatively on their health and self esteem and makes them ill that does not have any physical base. It results in d e- crease of satisfaction from family and personal life. So the present study is aimed to seek whether or not there is any rela- tion between control source with hypochondria and their life satisfaction regarding problems parents face that have mental retarded children.
The following assumptions have been studied:
1-There is a relation between control source with hypochon-
dria and life satisfaction of parents with mental retarded
children
2-There is a significant relation between life satisfactions and
hypochondria in parents with mental retarded children
3-parents with internal control source are more satisfied than those with external control source
4-Life satisfaction of fathers with mental retarded chil dren is
higher than mothers with mental retarded children
5-Parents with internal control source are less hypochondriac
than parents with external control source

2 METHOD

It is a correlative study. In this study, control source is used as independent variable and hypochondria and life satisfa c- tion are used as dependent variables. Statistical population of the study is all parents of mental retarded children i n Zabol in academic year 2010-2011. 200 parents (100 fathers, 100 moth- ers) were chosen by simple random sampling in this study. Three questionnaires are used in the study such as 1 - Ratter’s control scale questionnaire (internal and external) with 83% kranbakh alpha 2- hypochondriac questionnaire with 79% kranbakh alpha 3- Taft’s life satisfaction test with 83% kran- bakh alpha. Independent T test was used for data analysis, and correlation coefficient for studying the relation of va- riables and regression analysis.

3 RES ULTS

It is a correlative study. In this study, control source is used as independent variable and hypochondria and life satisfa c- tion are used as dependent variables. Statistical population of the study is all parents of mental retarded children in Zabol in academic year 2010-2011. 200 parents (100 fathers, 100 moth- ers) were chosen by simple random sampling in this study. Three questionnaires are used in the study such as 1 - Ratter’s control scale questionnaire (internal and external) with 83% kranbakh alpha 2- hypochondriac questionnaire with 79% kranbakh alpha 3- Taft’s life satisfaction test with 83% kran- bakh alpha. Independent T test was used for data analysis, and correlation coefficient for studying the relation of va- riables and regression analysis.
Assumption 1: There is a relation between control source
with hypochondria and life satisfaction of parents with mental
retarded children

TABLE 1

REGRESSION ANALYSIS FOR CONT ROL SOURCE WIT H HYPOCHONDRIA AND LIFE SATISFACTION

As seen in table 1, there is a significant negative correlation between control source and life satisfaction with respect to regression coefficient (β coefficient) and f signi- ficance level but there is no significant relation between control source and hyp o- chondria.

Assumption 2: There is a significant relation between life satisfactions with hypochondria in parents with mental re- tarded children

TABLE 2

PEARSON CORRELAT ION BET WEEN LIFE SATISFACTION AND HYPO-

CHONDRIA

As seen in table 2, there is a negative significant relation between life satisfaction and hypochondria. Correlation value is r= - 0.145 and this correlation is in range of

0.0001 significance level. So this assumption is confirmed.

Assumption 3: parents with internal control source are more satisfied than those with external control source.

TABLE 3

COMPARING AVERAGES OF LIFE SATISFACTION AND CONT ROL

SOURCE

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Results of independent T test for comparing average difference showed that there is a significant difference in averages of life satisfaction in both groups. Average score of life satisfaction in people with internal control source and external control source are

58 and 39 respectively. So this difference is significant regarding T = 3.8 and signi-

ficance level= 0.0001. This assumption is confirmed .

Assumption 4: Life satisfaction of fathers with mental re- tarded children is higher than mothers with mental retarded children

TABLE 4

COMPARING AVERAGES FOR LIFE SAT ISFACT ION

Results of independent T test for comparing average difference showed that there is a significant difference in averages of life satisfaction in both groups. Average scores of life satisfaction are 25 and 42 for female and male respectively. So this difference is significant regarding T = 7.24 and significance level= 0.0001. This assumption is confirmed.

Assumption 5: Parents with internal control source are less hypochondriac than parents with external control source.

TABLE 5

COMPARING AVERAGES OF HYPOCHONDRIA

Results of table 5 showed that there is no significant difference between both groups regarding hypochondria (sig = 57%, df = 198, T= 1.872) so this assumption is rejected.

4 Discu ssion

Assumption 1: There is a relation between control source with hypochondria and life satisfaction of parents with mental retarded children. As seen in the results of the test, there is a negative significant correlation between control source and life satisfaction but there is no significant relation between hyp o- chondria and control source. In studying the relation between control source and life satisfaction, it should be noted that the observed behavior is not only due to certain reinforcement rather it will be identified by individuals’ opinions about what the possible results of the behavior should be. People have expectations and their behavior is affected by these expecta- tions (Ratter, 1994). People with internal control source have positive attitude towards life because they control different events in life (Seif, 2000). Research results are coincident with results obtained by Kulshresthasen (2006) namely rel ation be- tween objective well being and emotional intelligence and
control source of mothers with mental retarded children and with Abubadr’s research called predictors of life satisfaction in adolescents.
Assumption 2: There is a significant relation between life satisfactions with hypochondria in parents with mental re- tarded children.
Test results showed that there is a significant negative rela-
tion between life satisfaction and hypochondria. In many stu- dies, health is one the strong factors for life sati sfaction. Re- searchers while studying the effect of physical values con- cluded that generally 1% increase in reported average of health status is equal to 1% increase in objective well being of people (Danovan and Halpern,2002) so since hypochondria is a kind of psychological disease, decrease in life satisfaction will be increased.
Assumption 3: parents with internal control source are more satisfied than those with external control source.
Results showed that there is a significant difference between two groups. Research results are coincident with results ob- tained by Kulshresthasen (2006) namely relation between ob- jective well being and emotional intelligence and control source of mothers with mental retarded children. In the Study done by Ratter showed th at people with internal control source are mentally and physically healthier than those with external control source. They are socially more skillful and popular and have higher self esteem compared with people with external control source.
Assumption 4: Life satisfaction of fathers with mental re-
tarded children is higher than mothers with mental retarded children.
Results showed that life satisfaction of fathers is more than that in mothers. Research results are coincident with results obtained by Cork.et.al (1997). In a study done by Cork.et.al called gender differences between Chinese male and female‘s life satisfaction resided in Malaysia, results showed that males are more satisfied than females. Bernskov.et.al have done a study about the relation between gender and life satisfaction in 66 countries and concluded that male satisfaction is higher than female’s one. Generally it seems that male life satisfaction is higher than that in females. The reason may be how to face and adapt with life difficulties that may make difference be- tween both genders. Females face emotional problems when they encounter with difficulties resulting in decrease of their satisfaction.
Assumption 5: Parents with internal control source are less
hypochondriac than parents with external control source
Results showed that there is no significant difference be- tween both groups regarding hypochondria. Research test are coincident with that of Montazar Alfaraj (2005). Most of re- searches showed that a hypochondrium is formed based on being homologue with parents, sisters and brothers. Accord- ing to Conner’s studies, in 53% of cases, parents are hyp o- chondriac. Other factors such as attraction of parents for a c- cepting and confirming the others, denying the disease due to mental stress reduction resulted from guilty feeling can lead to

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hypochondria (Dadsetan, 1997). So it can be concluded that hypochondria is a defense mechanism for those who have problem for adapting with the others. It can be the reason why they do not have relation with others.

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