20Jan 2017

MENTAL STATES IN WOMEN: THE ROLE OF FAMILY

  • Research Scholar, Department of Psychology ,University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, 190006, J&K, India.
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Background: Women disproportionately suffer from mental health disorders and are more frequently subject to social causes. Most findings implicate negative mental states are the offshoots of inadequate interaction with the environment and family environment is the chief cause. This study extends existing research in the field of mental health that focuses on the effects of family functioning on positive and negative mental states in females. Aims: This study tested the hypothesized model that healthy family functioning leads to increased positive mental states and, subsequently, reduced negative mental states in females. Methods: A sample of undergraduate and postgraduate (n = 201) female students completed survey packets in order to test this sequence of relationships on the General Family Functioning Scale, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, Herth Hope Index, Life Orientation Test and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Statistical analysis used: A Structural Equation Model was then constructed and evaluated based on the tested measurement model of latent factors. Results: The model yielded significant effect. The findings from the study indicated that healthy family functioning and positive mental states are positively related to each other, but negatively related to negative mental states. The findings provide compelling empirical evidence that healthy family functioning reduce the negative mental states by enhancing the positive mental resources. Thus negative mental states can be accurately modeled as an outcome of family functioning mediated by positive mental states. Conclusions: This study suggests that combined interventions, targeting family functioning and increasing positive mental states may be particularly useful in addressing negative mental states in females. The research contributes recommendations for policy, practice and further studies.


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[Eshrat Ara. (2017); MENTAL STATES IN WOMEN: THE ROLE OF FAMILY Int. J. of Adv. Res. 5 (Jan). 441-449] (ISSN 2320-5407). www.journalijar.com


Eshrat Ara
Department of Psychology, University of Kashmir

DOI:


Article DOI: 10.21474/IJAR01/2765      
DOI URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/2765