Conceptual Processing and Testing a Descriptive Model of Quality of Life in Families with Mentally Retarded Children

This study is planned to assess the quality of life in mothers with educable mentally retarded daughters motivating to provide a model to measure the quality of life and to identify the factors affecting it and it is tried to describe the concept of quality of life for families with disabled people and examine the factors affecting it and the relationship between these indicators and how to measure them in families with mentally retarded children.
The research method is descriptive analytical. The sample size is 75 mothers with mentally retarded daughters who were participated in this study through census sampling. With a research literature review and literature pertaining to quality of life, the intended measures were extracted (inductive method) and study information were collected after obtaining the informed consent from participants using standard questionnaires (survey) and was analyzed using correlation analysis techniques, univariate correlation, logistic regression analysis, path analysis and structural equation.
Results indicate the fact that family performance (family interactions, parenting, mental and physical health), mother abilities (resilience and aggression) and personal beliefs affect the quality of life for families with disabled children. Personal beliefs are important determinants of quality of life.