Abstract: This research investigated the roles of psychological capital (hope, resilience, self-efficacy & optimism), burden of care and demographic variables in predicting psychological wellbeing (PWB) of needy single parents. Using standardized questionnaires, data were collected from 282 needy single parents (males = 134, females = 148; mean age = 49.23 years) in selected NGOs in Lagos, Nigeria, by a purposive sampling method. Based on the review of related literature, 5 hypotheses were stated, with both descriptive and inferential statistics applied to test them. The result from the first hypothesis showed that, there is a significant joint contribution of psychological capital and burden of care to PWB among needy single parents [R = .85; R2= .72; F (5, 282) = 141.79; p<.01], with a 72% variance in PWB being accounted for by the predictor variables. Independent contributions showed that hope (β = .14; t = 2.11; P<.05); self-efficacy (β = .13; t = 2.28; P<.05); and burden of care (β = -.45; t = -6.73; P<.01) contributed to PWB, with burden of care having the most. Result from second hypothesis showed that, needy single parents with absence of health problems resulting from their caregiver roles reported significantly higher PWB than their counterparts with presence of health problems resulting from their caregiver role (t = -2.90; df = 280; P< .01), and a point biserial analysis showed an effect size of 17% from the statistical significance. Descriptive statistics showed that participants with health problems resulting from caregiver role as single parents, reported problems as, body pains and headaches, anxiety problems, suicidal ideation, high blood pressure, excessive aggression, sleep problems and fatigue. Result from third hypothesis, showed that needy single parents that are beneficiaries to more than one social welfare organizations reported significantly higher PWB than their counterparts that are beneficiaries to only one social welfare organization (t = -3.57; df = 280; P< .01), and a point biserial analysis showed an effect size of 21% from the statistical significance. Result from fourth hypothesis showed that there was no significant sex difference in PWB between male and female needy single parents (t = -0.81; df = 280; P>.05). Results from fifth hypothesis, showed that there was a significant joint contribution of needy single parents’ age and the number of children raised to PWB [R = .16; R2= .03; F (2, 282) = 3.52; P<.05], with a 3% variance in PWB being accounted for the predictor variables. The independent contributions showed that, only number of children raised contributed to PWB of needy single parents (β = -.16; t = -2.62; P<.05), and that when the number of children raised is high, it is a barrier to the PWB of needy single parents.
Keywords: Psychological Capital, Burden of Care, Demographic Variables, Psychological Wellbeing (PWB).
Title: PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL, BURDEN OF CARE AND DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING AMONG NEEDY SINGLE PARENTS IN LAGOS, NIGERIA
Author: OGUEJI, A. Ifeanyichukwu, Prof. OLLEY, O. Benjamin
International Journal of Healthcare Sciences
ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)
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