A Structural Model of Health-Related Quality of Life Based on Parenting Stress and Spiritual Well-Being with the Mediating Role of Locus of Control in Parents of Children with Specific Learning Disorder

Raising children with Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) is a stressful experience that may influence the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) of parents of children with SLD.

 The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of locus of control in the relationship of parenting stress and spiritual well-being with HRQOL in parents of children with SLD.

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study population comprised all parents of children with SLD in 2020-21, among whom 174 parents were selected through convenience sampling. The research instruments included the SF-36 Questionnaire, Parenting Stress Index, the Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire, and the Locus of Control Scale. The proposed model was evaluated using path analysis.

there was a significant relationship between spiritual well-being and HRQOL, locus of control and HRQOL, parenting stress and locus of control, and between spiritual well-being and locus of control (P<0.01). However, no significant relationship was found between parenting stress and HRQOL. Indirect paths of parenting stress were significantly correlated with HRQOL through the mediating role of locus of control and there was a significant relationship between spiritual well-being and HRQOL with the mediating role of locus of control (P<0.01).

This study revealed that locus of control is a significant mediator in the relationship of parenting stress and spiritual well-being with HRQOL in parents of children with learning disorder.