Investigating the structural pattern of Family function with Quality of life with Mediator roles of Family flexibility and Family empowerment

Abstract

The quality of life of nurses is of particular importance due to the demanding nature of their profession, night shifts, and interpersonal pressures, as poor quality of life may affect their own health, patients’ health, family relationships, and quality of working life. The aim of the present study was to examine the structural model of the relationship between family functioning and quality of life, with family flexibility and family empowerment as mediating variables, among female nurses working in public hospitals in Khoy County. In terms of methodology, the present study was descriptive-correlational and employed structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of all female nurses working in public hospitals in Khoy County, from whom 210 nurses were randomly selected from four public hospitals. The research instruments included the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (1996), the Epstein et al. Family Functioning Questionnaire (1983), Shakeri’s Family Flexibility Questionnaire (2003), and Sham et al.’s Family Empowerment Questionnaire (2001). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods and structural equation modeling in SPSS 26 and AMOS 24, as well as the bootstrap test using the Preacher and Hayes (2008) macro. The results showed that the proposed model had a good fit and that family functioning had significant direct effects on quality of life (β=0.430), family flexibility (β=0.358), and family empowerment (β=0.282). In addition, family flexibility (β=0.301) and family empowerment (β=0.481) had significant direct effects on quality of life. The bootstrap results also indicated that the indirect effect of family functioning on quality of life through family flexibility (β=0.108) and family empowerment (β=0.134) was significant (p<0.01). Overall, family functioning may be associated with the quality of life of female nurses, while family flexibility and family empowerment may play mediating roles in this relationship. Therefore, attention to these family-related components may be important in understanding the quality of life of nurses working in hospital settings.