Relationship between spiritual well-being with hopelessness and social skills in Beta-thalassemia major adolescents (2010)

Beta-thalassemia major is a chronic illness that can lead to poor interpersonal relationship and psychological health, particularly for adolescents. Several studies show that spiritual well-being, is associated with social and mental health. The purpose of this study was to determine relationship between spiritual well-being with hopelessness and social skills in Beta-thalassemia major adolescents. In this descriptive-correlational study, one hundred adolescents with Thalassemia were selected and entered to the study by convenience sampling from Special diseases centers, Zafar adult Thalassemia clinic and Thalassemia Clinic of Mofid Hospital of Tehran in 2010. Data were collected by self-reporting. The instruments used included: the sample selection and demographic data form, Beck hopelessness Scale, Matson social skills questionnaire and spiritual health questionnaire. Data were analyzed by statistical software SPSS (version 14) and with descriptive statistics, t- test, ANOVA, and coefficient Pearson correlation at the level P<0.05. Mean scores of hopelessness was 6.1±3.8, social skills 223.1±25.7 and spiritual wellbeing 95.2±14.7. There were statistically significant correlation between score of spiritual well-being with hopelessness (P=0.005) and social skills (P=0.018), but there were not statistical significant relationship between hopelessness with social skills (P=0.423). In adolescents’ thalassemia, higher spiritual health was positively associated with increased hope and social skills. Awareness of spiritual needs and encouraging for use of spiritual intervention and spiritual support by nurses is necessary in order to holistic nursing care during treatment.