Religiosity, Coping and Social Support As Predictors of Psychological Wellbeing among Teachers of Intellectually Disabled Children

Abstract

Intellectual disability (ID) is one of the most pervasive disabilities in the world. Caregivers of intellectually disabled children face many stressors which have an effect on their psychological wellbeing. This study was a cross-sectional survey that assessed the impact of religiosity, coping and social support on psychological wellbeing among teachers of children with intellectual disability. The role of gender and marital status on psychological wellbeing were also assessed. Ninety two (92) teachers of children with intellectual disability in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana were selected for the study. Data were collected using the Psychological well-being scale by Ryff, the Santa Clara strength of religious faith scale, the Brief Cope scale by Carver and the Multidimensional scale of perceived social support. The regression analysis and the independent t-test were used for data analysis. The results indicated that social support significantly predicted psychological well-being among teachers of children with ID. Religiosity and coping did not account for a significant relationship with psychological wellbeing. There was no sex difference in psychological wellbeing. Married teachers of children with ID had a significantly higher level of psychological wellbeing than unmarried teachers of children with ID. Implications of findings are discussed with reference to relevant literature. Recommendations for future research and implications for stake holders are also discussed.