Structural Relationships between Family Functioning Dimensions and Family Hardiness among Married Students: Focusing on the Mediating Role of Self-efficacy

Family functioning through self-efficacy mediation might lead to the promotion and improvement of family hardiness among married students. The present study aimed to examine the structural relationships between family Functioning dimensions and family hardiness among married students through the mediating role of self-efficacy.

This study was quantitative and correlational. The statistical population of the study included all married students of universities in Sanandaj in 2019. Based on the targeted sampling method, 500 students (212 men and 288 women) were selected and they completed the scales of  Family hardiness index (McCubbin, Thompson & McCubbin, 1986), family functioning (Epstein, Baldwin, & Bishop, 1983) and general self-efficacy (Jerusalem & Schwarzer, 1992). The data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software packages.

The results showed that the hypothetical data model has a relatively good fit and family functioning has a positive and direct effect on family hardiness (p <0.05). Also, family functioning with self-efficacy mediation has an indirect and significant effect on family hardiness (p <0.05).

The findings of this study, along with supporting the hypothetical model for family hardiness, provide a good model for the effect of self-efficacy as a mediating variable in the relationship between family functioning and family hardiness among married students. Accordingly, the dimensions of family functioning through self-efficacy mediation lead to the promotion and improvement of family hardiness among married students of universities in Sanandaj.