THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SOCIAL SUPPORT, COPING METHODS, AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN ADULT BAHRAINI CLIENTS ON MAINTENANCE HEMODIALYSIS.
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1996
Number of pages: 303
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Physiological.; Psychology, Social.
Description: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between social support and coping methods and their contribution to the prediction of quality of life in adult Bahraini clients on maintenance hemodialysis. Selected concepts from Lazarus' stress and coping theory (1984) were used as a conceptual framework for this study.

Data were collected from 60 adult Bahraini clients on hemodialysis. Subjects were interviewed using: (a) a single-item social support measure, (b) Personal Resource Questionnaire 85 Part II, (c) Modified version of Part A of Jalowiec Coping Scale, (d) Cantril's ladder, and (e) demographic data questionnaire.

Availability of social support resources was associated with greater use of supportant coping, and less frequent use of self-reliant coping methods. Satisfaction with social support resources was associated with the use of supportant coping, and less frequent use of fatalistic coping methods. Perceived social support was significantly related to the use of confrontive coping methods. Perceived social support was positively associated with the use of palliative, supportant, and optimistic coping, and negatively associated with the use of evasive, fatalistic, and emotive coping methods.

Social support variables, problem-oriented coping, and emotion-oriented coping predicted 27% of the variance in present quality of life among adult Bahraini clients on maintenance hemodialysis. Perceived social support, emotive coping methods, and marital status predicted 36% of the variance in quality of life.

Subjects' ratings of present quality of life were significantly lower than their retrospective ratings. Qualitative data revealed five critical domains of quality of life including: physical health, psychological health, family concerns, social concerns, and financial concerns domains.

Qualitative data suggested the need to modify the JCS and consider the cultural issues when examining the concept of coping. Future research should be directed to identify other significant predictors of quality of life. Findings of such studies may assist health care providers in planning and implementing strategies that improve the quality of life of chronically-ill clients.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-06, Section: B, page: 3662.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1996.

School code: 0227.