ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Descriptive & Survey Study

Authors

Talavari   E. (*)
Nisi   A. (1)






(*) Psychology Department, Human Sciences Faculty, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
(1) Psychology Department, Psychology Faculty, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Correspondence

Address: No. 230078, Falat Bakhtair Complex, Corner of Ziba Street, Zeiton Karmandi, Ahvaz, Iran. Postal Code: 6163913517
Phone: +986134125318
Fax: +986134491009
elahe.talavari@yahoo.com

Article History

Received:  August  16, 2015
Accepted:  October 17, 2015
ePublished:  November 21, 2015

BRIEF TEXT


… [1-7] The veterans are facing with physical and psychological problems, as well as inter-personal conflicts, which badly affect their families and their emotional health [8]. Work-family conflict is described as an inconsistency between job and family roles produced by maladaptive pressures of family and job roles [9].

Based on the conducted studies, the veterans suffer different problems in life including quality of life, quality of communication with the family members, eating, and sleep disorders [8, 10-12].

The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life and work-family conflict in the veterans and non-veterans working in the southern oil-fields.

This is a causal-comparative study.

All the veterans with 15% injury and more working in the southern oil-fields (in Setad, Karoun, Maroun, Transportation, Welfare Services, Para-drilling, Turbine, Aghajari, Masjed Soleyman, and Gachsaran companies) were studied in 2015.

250 persons were selected using relative stratified random sampling method. In addition, 250 non-veterans working in the southern oil-fields were selected. The non-veteran persons were in the highest adaptation with the veterans in job, age, and functions. Data of 437 persons, including 215 veterans and 222 non-veterans, was analyzed.

Data was collected using quality of life and work-family conflicts questionnaires. Quality of life questionnaire includes 26 questions and 4 sub-scales which are mental health, physical health, social communication, and environmental health [13]. The scoring is based on the 5-point Likert’s scale as never (1), seldom (2), sometimes (3), mostly (4), and always (5). The reliability of the questionnaire was computed 0.89 using Cronbach’s alpha. 18-item multi-dimensional Carlson Work-Family Conflict questionnaire was used to investigate the work-family conflicts. The scoring is based on the Likert’s scale from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree). Reliability of Work-Family Conflict questionnaire was computed 0.91 using Cronbach’s alpha. One-variable ANOVA (in MANOVA context) was used to compare the mean scores of quality of life and work-family conflicts in the veterans and non-veterans. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to investigate the correlation between quality of life and work-family conflict variables in the groups.

The mean ages of 215 veterans and 222 non-veterans were 51.11±4.90 and 48.60±3.30 years, respectively. 3 (2%) and 212 (98%) veterans were single and married, respectively. 14 (6%) and 208 (94%) non-veterans were single and married, respectively. Injury percentages of 88, 91, and 29 veterans were between 5 and 20%, 21 and 35%, and 36 and 50%, respectively. Injury percentage of 7 veterans was more than 51%. There was no significant difference between mean scores of quality of life and work-family conflict in veteran and non-veteran groups (p>0.05; Table 1). There was a powerful negative correlation between quality of life and work-family conflict in both veterans (r=0.42) and non-veterans (r=0.31), as well as in all the subjects (r=0.35), i. e. the higher the quality of life, the lower the work-family conflict was (p<0.001).

There was no significant difference between veterans and non-veterans in quality of life. The result is consistent with some studies [14, 15], but inconsistent with some others [12, 16, 17]. There was no significant correlation between veterans and non-veterans in work-family conflict. The result is inconsistent with some studies [18, 19], but consistent with some others [20].

Other job factors such as self-efficacy and involvement with job should be studied.

Since the subjects were employees of the southern oil-fields only, any generalization of the results should be done with care.

Quality of life and work-family conflict in the veterans and non-veterans working in the southern oil-fields are approximately equal, and the quality of life of the persons is good.

The participating veterans are appreciated.

Non-declared

The participants were assured on the confidentiality of the information. The subjects mentally got ready to participate in the study.

The study was funded by Research Bureau of NISOC (Khuzestan Province).

TABLES and CHARTS

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