ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Descriptive & Survey Study

Authors

Seyyed Talebi   S.M. (*)
Rafieepour   A. (1)






(*) Clinical Psychology Department, Psychology & Educational Sciences Faculty, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
(1) Psychology Department, Educational Sciences & Psychology Faculty, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran

Correspondence

Address: Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Sazman Ab Street, Daemi Street, Fatemi, Tehran
Phone: +98 (21) 44112829
Fax: +98 (21) 88965618
smstalebi64@gmail.com

Article History

Received:  February  6, 2017
Accepted:  March 14, 2017
ePublished:  July 27, 2017

BRIEF TEXT


A lot of research suggest that the reduction of the physical and mental health of men can also affect the quality of life associated with the health of their spouses [1-3].

… [4-18]. A study on veterans' families showed that 90% of the spouses with depression, the depression and anxiety are with each other. According to the findings of this study, 88.9%, 80%, 54.4%, and 60% of the spouses were susceptible to physical symptoms, anxiety, interpersonal relationship, and depression symptoms respectively [19]. … [20-21].

The aim of this research was to study the epidemiology of symptoms and emotional syndrome of depression, anxiety, and stress disorders in veterans’ wives whose husbands had disability over 25% in Tehran and to investigate the role of demographic factors as a predictor of these disorders.

This research is a descriptive survey.

This study was conducted in 2016 in Tehran among all wives of veterans with effective level of injuries (over 25%) in their individual and social performance.

The sample size of the study based on Morgan table was 377 veterans' wives whose husbands had injury level over 25% in Tehran [22]. A two-cluster random sampling method was used to select the samples. … [23].

… [24-26]. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) was selected. This test is a global standard test that can provide accurate and valid results [27]. … [28]. Dass-21 test with 21 items has three subscales of depression, anxiety, and tension, and there are 7 questions for each scale [29]. … [30-32]. The way to answer questions is in the form of four alternatives that are self-assessing. The subject evaluates each of the phrases according to the situation during the past week using a four-point Likert Scale (zero to 3). The range of responses varies from “never” to “always”. Scoring is from zero to 3. Based on the score table of the severity of depression symptoms in the questionnaire, the criterion for the diagnosis of depression is a score of 7-10. In the subscale of depression, if the score is above 8.5, it is considered as the criterion for the diagnosis of moderate depression. Similarly and with the same benchmark in the anxiety subscale, the moderate anxiety is determined with the score of 6.5 and in the stress subscale, the score of 11 is considered as moderate stress. Statistical analysis: Data were analyzed by SPSS 21 using independent t-test to examine the effect of demographic characteristics of occupational status, physical health, and recreational activities on the obtained scores of participants in the three subscales of depression, anxiety, and stress, and ANOVA test was used for the effect of age status, education status, number of children, and ownership of residence on the three mentioned subscales. Also, after the significance of the results of the analysis of variance, Shafa's post hoc test was used to compare the bifurcation of the groups with each other.

A total of 377 participants responded to all questions of the questionnaire. These subjects had the mean age 48.50±4.50 in the range of 29 to 77 years. In general, the mean scores of the spouses of the veterans with over 25% of disability in the subscales of depression, anxiety, and stress were 8.01±4.65, 9.01±4.57, and 9.92±4.90 respectively. 76% of the cases had emotional symptoms of these disorders from a weak to very severe stage. About 38%, about 39%, and 49.3% had obtained scores higher than the mean of emotional symptoms of depression, higher than the mean of anxiety symptoms, and higher the mean of stress symptoms respectively. In 80% of these cases, high scores in the subscales of depression and anxiety were with each other (Table 1). The variable of the number of children: the studied veteran’s wives had only significant differences in the subscale of anxiety in terms of the number of their children (p=0.001) and in the two other subscales, there was no statistically significant difference. In the dysfunctional comparison of the two groups, the spouses of the veterans who had 4 children were significantly different from those spouses who had 1-2 children in the scale of anxiety (p<0.05). The variable of place of residence: The studied veterans' spouses had a significant difference in all subscales of depression, anxiety, and stress according to their personal ownership (p<0.05). In comparing the two groups, the spouses of veterans living in organizational or residential homes were significantly different in all components of the questionnaire from those who had their personal homes. The main factors of stress in veterans` spouses after wounding their husband: in general, the main factors that can be mentioned as spouses` stress are: children's problems, such as care, education, occupation and marriage (29.3%), economic and financial problems (28.0%), problems with spouse's physical disability (27.3%), marital problems (4.7%) and other problems, including differences with their family and husband due to veteran`s status, etc. (10.7%).

The results of this study confirmed the previous results of the researchers in examining three subscales of depression, anxiety, and stress in participants [33-35].

Performing studies using non-questionnaire tools and assessing their health status, implementing the complementary process of diagnosis and providing a treatment solution, and comparing the health status of veterans' wives with other women's groups and communities, such as other normal women, the views of martyrs, and the wives of freed war captives.

This study also had some limitations, including the information gathering method based on the completion of questionnaires. The information obtained solely through veterans' spouses and by self-report scales.

76% of veterans' wives with over 25% injury of Tehran have certain symptoms and emotional syndromes of depression, anxiety, and stress that require further examination and more accurate diagnosis. Also, demographic characteristics of age, occupational status, physical health, recreational activities, residence, number of children, and educational level affect depression, anxiety, and stress disorders of veterans' wives.

We sincerely thank Mr. Shakeri, managing director of Shahed Technology Development Center, Deputy Chairman of the Foundation of Martyr and Veterans` Affairs as well as the respectful families of veterans in different regions who helped us in completion of the questionnaire and extremely cooperated in conducting this study. I appreciate, the advisor professor, Dr. Rafieeipour, who has been in charge of this study throughout the whole stages.

Non-declared

All participants participated in the research with satisfaction and conditions for private keeping of the information of the participants were observed.

The financial source of this research has been provided by the responsible author.

TABLES and CHARTS

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