Volume 24, Issue 93 (6-2024)
refahj 2024, 24(93): 229-274 |
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Research code: 1400/12902
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Ganji M, Nikkhah Ghamsari N, Heydarian A, Ghaffari M. (2024). Factors Related to Social Well-being of Persons with Visual Impairment. refahj. 24(93), : 6
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-4214-en.html
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-4214-en.html
Keywords: Social well-being, Mental health, Social determinants of health, Social empowerment of the disabled, Blind community of Kashan
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Introduction: Social well-being is regarded as a significant dimension of health within specific populations, including individuals with disabilities. Particularly among those with visual impairments and low vision, their perception of health is primarily shaped by their mental perspectives. These individuals possess distinct beliefs and attitudes towards the concept of health due to limited access to visual information and extensive social interactions. They have a unique understanding of their surroundings and social environments, encountering different challenges in adapting to these contexts. While research on social well-being has been conducted extensively in Iran, there has been a limited amount of empirical investigation specifically focusing on visually impaired and low vision individuals. Moreover, existing studies have predominantly relied on psychological analyses and interpretations, paying less attention to social factors. The main objective of this study is to explore both the theoretical and empirical aspects of social well-being among visually impaired and low vision individuals residing in the city of Kashan. The study aims to identify the factors that are associated with their social well-being. To achieve this, the research seeks to address several key questions, whichare as follows: What is the level of social well-being among visually impaired and low vision individuals in the city of Kashan? Which factors have an impact on the social well-being of these individuals in the same region? What is the current status of the factors that influence the social well-being of visually impaired and low vision individuals in the city of Kashan? These inquiries form the basis of the research endeavor.
The theoretical framework employed in this study integrates Corey Keyes' theory of social well-being and a range of theoretical approaches concerning the associated factors. Overall, the hypotheses of this study propose a direct relationship between variables such as “use of modern mass media”, “social prestige”, “social support”, “social security”, “social abilities”, and “mental health” with the variable of “social well-being” among visually impaired and low vision individuals.
Method: The current research utilized a survey methodology as the empirical method. The target population for this study consisted of visually impaired and low vision individuals who were members of the Kashan Association of the Visually Impaired during the study period, which took place in the summer of 2022. According to the statistical data provided by the Kashan Association of the Visually Impaired, the estimated number of visually impaired individuals in the city is 652. The sample size determination was conducted using SPSS Sample Power software, resulting in a final sample size of 211 individuals. This sample was selected to represent the target population for the study. To ensure the reliability of the questionnaire used in this research, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was employed. A preliminary test was carried out with 35 questionnaires, and all variables demonstrated Cronbach's alpha coefficients above 0.70. This indicates that the questionnaire employed in this study is a reliable and valid tool for investigating the subject matter.
Results: Based on the descriptive findings, it was observed that the mean scores of the variables “social prestige”, “social security”, “mental health”, and “social well-being” exceeded the median, indicating an above-average level for these variables. However, the mean scores of the variables “social abilities” and “social support” were lower than the median, suggesting a below-average status for these variables. The results of hypothesis testing indicated a significant and direct relationship between the variables “use of modern mass media”, “social prestige”, “social support”, “social security”, “social abilities”, and “mental health” with the variable “social well-being” at a 99% confidence level. This implies that these variables have a substantial impact on social well-being among visually impaired and low vision individuals. Furthermore, the results of the multivariate regression analysis revealed that out of the six independent variables found to have a significant correlation with social well-being, three variables were included in the regression equation. These variables, in order of their contribution, are “mental health”, “social security”, and “social abilities”. Considering the standardized beta coefficients, “mental health” had the highest direct effect, accounting for 49% of the influence on social well-being. “Social security” had an effect of 21%, and “social abilities” had an effect of 16%. Therefore, “mental health” emerged as the most influential variable, while “social abilities” had the lowest direct effect among the significant independent variables in the regression model.
In this study, a Structural Equation Model (SEM) was employed to construct an empirical model. The SEM included various variables and their corresponding indicators. The variables in the model are as follows: social health (with 13 indicators), use of modern mass media (with 3 indicators), social prestige (with 7 indicators), social support (with 12 indicators), social security (with 14 indicators), social abilities (with 16 indicators), and mental health (with 9 indicators). The factor loadings in the SEM analysis for most of the indicators were found to be above 0.5, indicating a strong relationship between the variables and their respective indicators. To assess the significance of the estimated path coefficients for each variable in the model, the technique of Bootstrapping was utilized.
Figure 1. Structural model of factors related to social well-being
Table 1. Evaluation of the internal model of the research based on the significance of direct effects
The findings reveal that all relationships, except the connection between the use of modern mass media, social support, and social abilities with social health, exhibit statistically significant path coefficients. Furthermore, the estimation results pertaining to effect size (f-square) and predictive power (Q2) suggest that the variable “mental health” exhibits a substantial effect size (0.337), while the other variables exhibit small effect sizes. Moreover, the model’s predictive power is calculated to be 0.234, indicating a moderate to high level of prediction capability. Lastly, the overall fit of the model, as indicated by the Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) value of 0.090, demonstrates a good fit.
Discussion: The findings provide overall confirmation for the majority of the research hypotheses, aligning with previous studies and theoretical discussions. Additionally, these findings reveal significant relationships among the independent variables. Notably, mental health emerges as a highly significant factor among these variables. This highlights the interconnectedness of social and psychological aspects in the well-being of individuals with visual impairments. It suggests that both dimensions are mutually influential, and the absence of either can hinder overall health stability.
The theoretical framework employed in this study integrates Corey Keyes' theory of social well-being and a range of theoretical approaches concerning the associated factors. Overall, the hypotheses of this study propose a direct relationship between variables such as “use of modern mass media”, “social prestige”, “social support”, “social security”, “social abilities”, and “mental health” with the variable of “social well-being” among visually impaired and low vision individuals.
Method: The current research utilized a survey methodology as the empirical method. The target population for this study consisted of visually impaired and low vision individuals who were members of the Kashan Association of the Visually Impaired during the study period, which took place in the summer of 2022. According to the statistical data provided by the Kashan Association of the Visually Impaired, the estimated number of visually impaired individuals in the city is 652. The sample size determination was conducted using SPSS Sample Power software, resulting in a final sample size of 211 individuals. This sample was selected to represent the target population for the study. To ensure the reliability of the questionnaire used in this research, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was employed. A preliminary test was carried out with 35 questionnaires, and all variables demonstrated Cronbach's alpha coefficients above 0.70. This indicates that the questionnaire employed in this study is a reliable and valid tool for investigating the subject matter.
Results: Based on the descriptive findings, it was observed that the mean scores of the variables “social prestige”, “social security”, “mental health”, and “social well-being” exceeded the median, indicating an above-average level for these variables. However, the mean scores of the variables “social abilities” and “social support” were lower than the median, suggesting a below-average status for these variables. The results of hypothesis testing indicated a significant and direct relationship between the variables “use of modern mass media”, “social prestige”, “social support”, “social security”, “social abilities”, and “mental health” with the variable “social well-being” at a 99% confidence level. This implies that these variables have a substantial impact on social well-being among visually impaired and low vision individuals. Furthermore, the results of the multivariate regression analysis revealed that out of the six independent variables found to have a significant correlation with social well-being, three variables were included in the regression equation. These variables, in order of their contribution, are “mental health”, “social security”, and “social abilities”. Considering the standardized beta coefficients, “mental health” had the highest direct effect, accounting for 49% of the influence on social well-being. “Social security” had an effect of 21%, and “social abilities” had an effect of 16%. Therefore, “mental health” emerged as the most influential variable, while “social abilities” had the lowest direct effect among the significant independent variables in the regression model.
In this study, a Structural Equation Model (SEM) was employed to construct an empirical model. The SEM included various variables and their corresponding indicators. The variables in the model are as follows: social health (with 13 indicators), use of modern mass media (with 3 indicators), social prestige (with 7 indicators), social support (with 12 indicators), social security (with 14 indicators), social abilities (with 16 indicators), and mental health (with 9 indicators). The factor loadings in the SEM analysis for most of the indicators were found to be above 0.5, indicating a strong relationship between the variables and their respective indicators. To assess the significance of the estimated path coefficients for each variable in the model, the technique of Bootstrapping was utilized.
Table 1. Evaluation of the internal model of the research based on the significance of direct effects
| Path | Path coefficients | T statistic | Sig | Result |
| Modern mass media ---> Social well-being | -0.030 | 0.530 | 0.596 | Unconfirmed |
| Social prestige ---> Social well-being | 0.140 | 2.335 | 0.020 | Confirmed |
| Social support ---> Social well-being | 0.084 | 1.498 | 0.135 | Unconfirmed |
| Social security ---> Social well-being | 0.186 | 2.868 | 0.004 | Confirmed |
| Social abilities ---> Social well-being | 0.036 | 0.608 | 0.544 | Unconfirmed |
| Mental Health ---> Social well-being | 0.505 | 6.407 | 0.000 | Confirmed |
| Modern mass media ---> Social abilities | 0.535 | 10.365 | 0.000 | Confirmed |
| Social abilities ---> Social prestige | 0.320 | 5.852 | 0.000 | Confirmed |
| Mental health ---> Social prestige | 0.462 | 8.723 | 0.000 | Confirmed |
| Social support ---> Mental health | 0.394 | 6.583 | 0.000 | Confirmed |
| Social security ---> Mental health | 0.386 | 6.114 | 0.000 | Confirmed |
| Social support ---> Social security | 0.460 | 8.764 | 0.000 | Confirmed |
The findings reveal that all relationships, except the connection between the use of modern mass media, social support, and social abilities with social health, exhibit statistically significant path coefficients. Furthermore, the estimation results pertaining to effect size (f-square) and predictive power (Q2) suggest that the variable “mental health” exhibits a substantial effect size (0.337), while the other variables exhibit small effect sizes. Moreover, the model’s predictive power is calculated to be 0.234, indicating a moderate to high level of prediction capability. Lastly, the overall fit of the model, as indicated by the Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) value of 0.090, demonstrates a good fit.
Discussion: The findings provide overall confirmation for the majority of the research hypotheses, aligning with previous studies and theoretical discussions. Additionally, these findings reveal significant relationships among the independent variables. Notably, mental health emerges as a highly significant factor among these variables. This highlights the interconnectedness of social and psychological aspects in the well-being of individuals with visual impairments. It suggests that both dimensions are mutually influential, and the absence of either can hinder overall health stability.
Type of Study: orginal |
Received: 2023/06/2 | Accepted: 2024/01/30 | Published: 2024/07/12
Received: 2023/06/2 | Accepted: 2024/01/30 | Published: 2024/07/12
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