Abstract

This article gives the description of subjective sense of quality of life and its intrapsychic correlates in 31 randomly chosen mothers of children with motor disability and who constantly receive rehabilitation and therapeutic support in Specialised Psychological and Pedagogic Guidance Service in Skawina and Malopolska Centre of Rehabilitation in Radziszów. The following variables: Big Five personality traits, a sense of alienation, stress management style, an evaluation of resources, socio-demographic variables (sex, age, place of living, family standard of living) and basic information on health of the child with motor disability have been tested in relation to sense of quality of life in the research group.

The statistically significant correlation between socio-demographic as well as related to health of the child variables and the sense of quality of life of the mothers has not been proved. Yet statistically significant correlation between the sense of quality of life in the mothers and their chosen personality traits (neuroticism, openess, conscientioussness) as well as the sense of alienation has been found. Also the relation between stress management and coping strategies (assertive activities, searching for social support) and the sense of quality of life has been proved.

Key words: subjective sense of quality of life mothers of children with motor disability

Introduction

The study presented in the article adheres to the quality of life theory propounded by R.L. Schalock (2000) and R.A. Cummins (2005, 2007) and to S. Hobfollʼs (2006) conservation of resources theory, both interpreted in the light of the contemporary understanding of resilience with particular emphasis on flexible coping skills, competences necessary for good functioning despite adversity, resilience defined not as an individual resource but as an individual characteristic (Fredrikson, 2001; Smith, 2009; Luthar, Zelazo, 2003; Heszen, Sęk, 2007; Hee Lee et al., 2013; Ogińska-Bulik, 2014a; Ostrowski, 2014; Sikorska, 2014) and the systemic approach to family functioning (Olson et al., 1979; Margasiński, 2011; Plopa, 2011). The article also draws upon the sense of alienation theory propounded by B. Kmiecik-Baran (1995). The concept of alienation provoked both subjective and objective interpretations. The theory in question propounds that the areas which prove significant to individuals and can become alien to them include: the principles of social interaction, values, personal opinions and beliefs, individual behaviours and other people.