Journal of pediatric nursingNov 13, 2024

How Social Support and Resilience Relate to Life Satisfaction in Families with Children Who Have Special Needs

Updated Apr 2, 2026

Abstract

A sample of 317 parents of children with special needs revealed a positive correlation between life satisfaction and resilience.

Life satisfaction is positively correlated with resilience in families raising children with special needs.
Perceived social support is strongly associated with life satisfaction.
Social support may mediate the relationship between resilience and life satisfaction.
Understanding these relationships could enhance family well-being.
Support programs targeting resilience and life satisfaction may benefit from pediatric nursing involvement.

Simplified

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the intricate relationships among resilience, life satisfaction, and perceived social support in Turkish families raising children with special needs, emphasizing the importance of understanding these variables for enhancing family well-being.

DESIGN AND METHODS: The study involved a sample of 317 parents of children with special needs. Pearson's correlation analysis was conducted due to the normal distribution of scale scores. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to explore the mediating effects of social support on the relationship between resilience and life satisfaction, with analyses performed using Jamovi 2.3.28.

RESULTS: The findings revealed a positive correlation between life satisfaction and resilience among these families and a strong association between perceived social support and life satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS: These results provide valuable insights into the development of support programs aimed at improving family resilience and life satisfaction.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The involvement of pediatric nursing is crucial in implementing and designing these support programs to effectively address the unique challenges faced by families raising children with special needs.

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Declaration of competing interest As the author, I declare that there is no financial support or other conflict of interest associated with the execution of this study. This research has been conducted with the principles of objectivity and impartiality and does not reflect any commercial or financial interests.

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