The study employed a descriptive-correlational design and aimed to explore the mediating role of positive parenting in the linkage between parental resilience (of caregivers) and the quality of life (of children) in contexts of learning-disability situations. The research involved all elementary school learners in the academic year 1996 to 1997 from counseling centers for learning disabilities within the city limits of Tehran, leading to a total of 150 participants which included 70 females and 80 males. The measurement tools employed in this study included the Academic Resilience Questionnaire, developed by Suzuki et al. (2015), the Quality of Life of Children Assessment, developed by Petri, Miss and Velascamp (2009) and the Positive Parenting questionnaire created by Lagar et al. (2006). The results reveal a good fit between the data and the research model. The results indicate that parental resilience has both a direct impact on the prevalence of positive parenting and a direct influence on the quality of life of children with learning disabilities. Through the mediation of positive parenting, the indirect impact of parental resilience on the quality of life of children is also notable. Thus, it is evident that parental resilience exerts diverse influences on the quality of life of children with learning disabilities, both directly and indirectly through positive parenting. The research findings suggest that positive parental perceptions play a crucial role in enabling parents to adopt constructive approaches to dealing with challenges associated with their children. Furthermore, positive perceptions can enhance the ability of parents to engage in positive parenting strategies, such as offering encouragement, accepting personal shortcomings, and reinforcing talents. To enhance the quality of life of children with learning disabilities, educational institutions can play a key role in promoting resilience and positive parenting.
Keywords: Parental Resilience, Positive Parenting, Quality of Life, Learning Disabilities.
 
 
 
Extended Abstract

Introduction

Learning disabilities are common developmental disorders in childhood, characterized by deficits in foundational processes that hamper language comprehension or utilization (Chiarenza, 2021). These difficulties may manifest in various forms, including challenges with listening, thinking, speaking, reading or writing, calculating or spelling (Filippello, Bazaev, Messina, Mafodda & Sorrenti, 2020). For parents, the prospect of a learning disability diagnosis for their child can prove challenging, often leaving them with questions about their child's future and educational prospects. Concerns may arise regarding potential stigma and the labeling of their child as "slow" or being relegated to special education programs (Mansson, Frick, Bråsbeck, Marquand, Williams & Kallerbring, 2015).
Alongside the burden of coping with stress, acquiring sufficient resources, and maintaining high-quality parenting, parents of children with learning disabilities face additional challenges (Beckett, Johnson, Jozinski, 2012; Gavidla, Payne, Denny, Davis, Frankel, and Jackson, 2015; Jones & Passy, 2004). Prior studies have demonstrated that parents of children with learning disabilities encounter higher levels of stress and face greater challenges due to a greater occurrence of negative scenarios compared to parents of typically developing children (Gupta, 2007; Mokhtar, Kyomara, Hesjarjo & Adiyanti, 2018; Suzuki, Kobayashi, Moriyama, Kaja & Anagaki, 2013).
Research Question(s)
As a result, this study aims to investigate the association between parental resilience, positive parenting, and the quality of life in families of children with learning disabilities. It is hypothesized that parenting skills (positive parenting) serve as a mediating factor within the link between parental resilience and their children's quality of life.

Literature Review

Research has indicated that parents of children with learning disabilities, by understanding their parenting abilities, are able to perceive challenges in a more favorable light (Suzuki et al. 2015). Such parents are capable of accepting their child's condition and coming to terms with the implications associated with raising a child with a learning disability (Hastings & Taunt, 2002; Plumb, 2011; Suzuki et al., 2015). Evidence suggests that these processes are connected to enhanced acceptance levels and improved coping techniques among parents (Hastings & Taunt, 2002; Plumb, 2011; Suzuki et al., 2015).
Parenting comprises parents' attitudes and actions in rearing a child (Venuti, Aztark, & Riccadonna, 2014). Numerous studies have shown that positive parenting (e.g., encouraging and praising children) has a positive influence on children's quality of life (Gavidia-Payne et al., 2015; Sangawi, Adams, & Reissland, 2018). Resilient parents respond more positively to challenging situations (Olson & Diefreen, 2003), and parents with higher resilience possess enhanced abilities to manage stress and cope with their children's challenging behaviors (Harrison & Sofronoff, 2002). Such capabilities contribute to improved parenting skills, which subsequently have a positive impact on children's quality of life (Ellis & Nigg, 2009; Pinquart, 2017).
However, research in this domain remains limited, with few empirical studies particularly delving into the aspects of parental resilience amongst families of children with learning disabilities and the influence of positive parenting on their children's quality of life. It is also worthy of noting that the majority of research in this field has predominantly centered on Western cultures, the investigation of the relationship between parental resilience, parenting, and the quality of life of children with learning disabilities in non-Western cultures, such as Iran, has not received commensurate attention.
The current research is noteworthy as studies comparing non-Western and Western cultures have consistently highlighted considerable disparities in parenting practices. Belsky (1984) and Bornstein (2012) emphasized the importance of culture and social context in understanding parenting and parent-child relationships (Belsky, 1984; Bornstein, 2012). Additionally, cross-cultural disparities are evident in relation to how parents perceive challenging situations, as well as how external factors influence resilience and children's quality of life (Garcia-Dia, DiNapoli, Garcia-Ona, Jakubowski, & O'Flaherty, 2013).

Methodology

This study utilized a correlational research design to examine the relationships between the study variables using structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of all families in Tehran with at least one child identified with specific learning disorders during the 2017-2018 academic year by counseling centers in the area due to academic and learning difficulties. The sample size of 150 participants was selected from the population of students with learning disabilities, who were diagnosed based on psychiatric evaluations and intelligence assessments using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV). In this study, the following instruments were utilized to collect data on the study variables: Parental Resilience, Children’s Quality of Life, and Positive Parenting.

Results

The results of this study are presented in two sections. The first section contains descriptive findings, such as mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis indices. The second section includes the correlation matrix and the outcomes of structural equation modeling analysis using LISREL software, accompanied by the path diagram. Prior to performing the data analysis, several key assumptions underlying structural equation modeling were examined to ensure that the data met the necessary requirements. These included: assessing missing data, examining the distribution for normality and checking for multicollinearity.

a) Handling missing data: In this study, while all efforts were made to collect complete data from the participants, some missing data were found in the dataset. In order to address this issue, the mean values of the respective variables were used to substitute for the absent data.
b) Dealing with outliers: To identify the presence of outliers in the data, the Explore function in SPSS was used. Upon examining the results, no outliers were observed in any of the study variables, thereby confirming that structural equation modeling analysis could proceed without any issues.
c) Examine normality: To assess the assumption of normality, skewness and kurtosis indices were measured. The results indicated that the distribution of the data adheres to the normality assumption, allowing for the use of structural equation modeling (SEM). Overall, the findings confirmed that all fundamental requirements for structural equation modeling were met, without any barriers to conducting this analysis.

In this study, potential multi-collinearity amongst predictor variables was assessed using the tolerance statistic and the variance inflation factor (VIF). The results revealed that tolerance values for all variables surpassed 0.10, indicating no multi-collinearity issues. Furthermore, the VIF values for all variables remained below 10, further confirming the absence of multi-collinearity. In the next section, the correlation matrix among the examined variables is presented. This correlation matrix serves as a foundation for conducting causal model analyses.
Table 2. Correlation Matrix of Research Variables




Variables


1


2


3


4


5


6


7


8






Material Well-being


1

 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Communication


^**51/0


1

 
 
 
 
 
 



Emotional-Social Well-being


^**52/0


^**71/0


1

 
 
 
 
 



Growth and Development


^**79/0


^**68/0


^**66/0


1

 
 
 
 



Activity Time


^**38/0


^**36/0


^**46/0


^**53/0


1

 
 
 



Positive Parenting


^**25/0


^**23/0


^**34/0


^**48/0


^**60/0


1

 
 



Awareness of Child’s Characteristics


^**24/0


^**21/0


^**37/0


^*42/0


^**80/0


^**70/0


1

 



Perceived Social Support


^**46/0


^**36/0


^**38/0


^**36/0


^**32/0


^**35/0


^**33/0


1




Positive Perception of Parenting


^**37/0


^**29/0


^**28/0


^**28/0


^**31/0


^**27/0


^**26/0


^**46/0




From the table provided, it is clear that the components of parental resilience exhibit a positive and significant correlation with both positive parenting and the components of quality of life. Additionally, a positive and significant correlation can be observed between positive parenting and adaptation to the components of quality of life.
Table 3. Direct, Indirect, and Total Effects of Model Variables




Path


Direct Effect


Indirect Effect


Total Effect




β


p


β


p


β


p






From Parental Resilience to Positive Parenting


44/0


001/0


---


---


56/0


001/0




From Parental Resilience to Quality of Life


47/0


001/0


---


---


44/0


001/0




From Positive Parenting to Quality of Life


40/0


001/0


20/0


002/0


60/0


002/0




 Based on the tested model and the results provided in Table 3, all research hypotheses were confirmed. As indicated in Table 3 and the path coefficients in the diagram, the direct effects of parental resilience on positive parenting and parental resilience on children's quality of life remain positive and significant. Furthermore, the path from positive parenting to quality of life has also been found to be positive and significant.
Additionally, the findings suggest that parental resilience exerts a significant and indirect influence on children's quality of life via positive parenting, as demonstrated by the results presented in Table 3 and the diagram. Overall, the findings indicate that parental resilience exerts both direct and indirect impacts on the quality of life of children with learning disabilities, as mediated through positive parenting behaviors.
Regarding model fit indices:
Chi-square divided by degrees of freedom (X²/df) = 0.58,
Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = above 0.45, indicating the model’s ability to deviate from an independent model and approach a saturated model according to defined criteria.
Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.028.
Goodness-of-Fit Index (GFI), Normed Fit Index (NFI), and Adjusted Goodness-of-Fit Index (AGFI) were **0.92, 0.94, and 0

Discussion

The present study set out to establish the mediating role of positive parenting in the relationship between parental resilience and children's quality of life. Initially, Pearson correlation coefficients were computed to examine the associations among resilience, positive parenting, and quality of life. The results revealed a significant correlation between parental resilience and both positive parenting and quality of life. To further explore the relationship between aspects of resilience and children's quality of life, LISREL software was utilized to examine whether parental resilience influences quality of life directly and indirectly, mediated through positive parenting. Positive parenting, in turn, is associated with increased instances of parental encouragement and praise, which can have a positive impact on children's quality of life (Aran, Shalev, Biran, & Gross-Tsur, 2007; Daiches et al., 2012; Ellis & Nigg, 2009; Raya et al., 2013; Sangawi et al., 2018).

Conclusion (Times New Roman 12 bold)

The results highlight the crucial mediating role of positive parenting in the relationship between parental resilience and children's quality of life, emphasizing the significant influence of parents' positive attitudes toward parenting on their children's well-being. It's important to note that certain limitations were associated with the study. The study had certain limitations, including the lack of representation from all regions of Iran, as it only examined families that brought their children to schools or treatment centers. Additionally, it did not include families that did not enroll their children in these institutions, limiting the generalization of the findings on Iranian parents of children with learning disabilities.
Future researchers are encouraged to delve deeper into the connection between parental stress and a variety of positive parenting facets, with a focus on parenting flexibility. Investigations have demonstrated that flexibly parenting parents tend to be more adept at managing stress and coping with challenges, ultimately resulting in positive outcomes in the family context (Gavidia-Payne et al., 2015; Harper & Brown, 2014; Hess et al., 2002). Furthermore, studies have revealed that positive parenting styles contribute to heightened self-perception and enhanced social aptitude among children (Gavidia-Payne et al., 2015; Harper & Brown, 2014; Hess et al., 2002). It is essential for future research to take parental stress into account as a prominent influencing factor, thereby fostering a more comprehensive comprehension of parental resilience, which facilitates adaptation to difficult situations.