Family Environment and Quality of Life Among Graduate Students

Abstract

Introduction Studies have revealed that graduate education isassociated with high risk for the development of physical and psychologicalhealth problems. Objectives This study examined the potential differences amongstudents from 6 higher education departments. Aims To investigated family environment and quality oflife of post graduate students. Methods In this study 164 post graduate students from varioushigher education departments were participated. More specifically, 61 (37.2%rate) from the Department of early & infant childhood, 36 (rate 22.0%)students from medical schools, 30 (total of 18.3%) students from nursingschools, 15 (rate 9.1%) students from school of speech 12 (rate 7.3%) studentsfrom kindergarten sections and 10 (6.1%) students from pedagogical faculties. The sample completed a)Family Environment Scale(Form R-FES) b) Short-Form Health Survey (SF- 36). Results Using one way analysis ofvariance we found statistical significant differences in terms of family conflict(F=2.665, p=0.036), total family environment (F=2.481, p=0.041), physical functioning (F=3.847, p=.006), role-physical(F=3.551, p=.009), mental health (F=3.165, p=.016) and physical component summary(F=4.305, p=.003). Multiple comparisons shownthat graduates students of early & infant childhood reported lower levelsof family conflicts, better role-physical, mental health and physical healththan graduates students of nursing schools, whereas students from medicalschools have better total family environment than graduates students of early& infant childhood. Finally graduates students of nursing schools reportedlower physical functioning than students from medical schools. Conclusions Our results may promote studies on psychological wellbeing in higher education, and may provide support for their positive psychologicalhealth care.