Consistency of prediction across generation: explaining quality of life by family functioning and health-promoting behaviors.
OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to investigate the consistency of relationship between family functioning, health-promoting behaviors, and quality of life across generations in joint families.


METHODS
The sample comprises of 79 joint families (N = 316 members, n = 79 grandparents (grandfathers = 27, grandmothers = 52) n = 158 parents (fathers = 79, mothers = 79), and n = 79 grandchildren (girls = 61, boys = 18)). Data were collected on Self-Report Family Inventory, SFI, Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, HPLP-II, and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale BREF WHO QOL BREF. All three variables, i.e., family functioning, health-promoting behaviors, and quality of life, were modeled as latent variables. Analyses were conducted separately for each group.


RESULTS
Results showed that in grandparents, family functioning predicted (β = .44, p < .01,) health-promoting behaviors (R (2) = .20), which in turn predicted (β = .26, p < .05) quality of life (R (2) = .85). Family functioning appears to have significant indirect effects (β = .34, p < .01) through health-promoting behaviors on quality of life. The model fit indices showed a good fit (IFI = .917, CFI = .910, RMSEA = .078) of the model of the data. For all other groups, i.e., fathers, mothers, and grandchildren, family functioning and health-promoting behaviors independently predicted quality of life (R (2) = .55, .67, and .54, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed that family functioning and health-promoting behaviors are consistent predictors of quality of life across generations.
Center of Excellence, National Institute of Psychology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Room No. 142, Islamabad, Pakistan, sehrish_ali_javidan@yahoo.com.
Sehrish
S
Ali
Jamil A
JA
Malik
D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*