Comparison of Psychological Hardiness and Resiliency of Employed and Unemployed Female-headed Household

Abstract

Background: Employed and unemployed women have their special problems. This issue could be more important for female-headed households. Hardiness and resiliency are among the characteristics that are critical for fighting against life problems. This study aims to compare the psychological hardiness and resiliency of employed and unemployed female-headed households. Methods: This research was a comparative cross-sectional study. The sample included 120 female-headed households (60 employed and 60 unemployed) living in Tehran City, Iran from March to June 2018. The subjects were recruited among the women referring to the institutions affiliated with Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation in Tehran, Iran. The data were collected by the psychological hardiness scale and the Connor-Davidson resilience scale and analyzed in SPSS V. 21 using frequency, mean, standard deviation, and multivariate analysis of variance. Results: The results indicated a significant difference between employed and unemployed women in terms of psychological hardiness (32.03±11.50 vs 27.91±9.24) (P=0.034). Besides, there was a significant difference between these women in terms of resiliency (64.881±1.03 vs 59.55±12.72) (P=0.016). Conclusion: The results indicated a significant difference between psychological hardiness and resiliency among employed and unemployed subjects. Also, the fundamental plans should be made for female-headed households so that they can remain independent and pursue a job.