Investigation of the relationship between burnout, life satisfaction and quality of life in parents of children with disabilities

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between burnout, life satisfaction and quality of life in parents of disabled children and the mediating role of burnout in the relationship between life satisfaction and quality of life. Relational comparison, which is a quantitative research method, was used. The study sample consisted of 538 parents of students with disabilities of special education schools in the central district of Düzce and parents of children with disabilities receiving services from the Guidance Research Centre. Data were collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Beach Centre Family Quality of Life Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and path analysis model were used for analysis. Burnout was negatively correlated with life satisfaction and quality of life while the quality of life was positively correlated with life satisfaction. Quality of life predicted burnout negatively while burnout predicted life satisfaction negatively. However, the quality of life did not predict life satisfaction. According to path analysis, burnout was a mediating variable. Results suggest that parents of children with disabilities should be supported socially and financially and that existing social support should be diversified based on the child’s disability.

KEYWORDS:

• Disabled
• parent
• burnout
• life satisfaction
• quality of life

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Osman Aktan

Osman Aktan received his doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Gazi University. He has published several book chapters, articles and conference papers on inclusive education, special education, social acceptance, teacher education, and curriculum and instruction.

Şenol Orakcı

Şenol Orakcıis an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Aksaray University in Turkey. His scholarship focuses on teacher education, curriculum studies, and international education.

Mehmet Durnalı

Mehmet Durnalı is an assistant professor of educational sciences at Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University. He has published several books, book chapters, articles and conference papers in the field of educational administration and school effectiveness.