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The Role of Demographic and Positive Psychological Factors on Quality of Life in Ghanaian Orphans Placed in Orphanages: An Exploratory Study

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Abstract

Much of the literature on predictors of quality of life (QoL) in orphanage-placed children has focussed on psychopathologies with little emphasis on positive psychological factors. Against this background, the present study aimed to explore the influence of demographic variables (age and sex) and positive psychological variables (perceived social support, self-efficacy and resilience) on the overall QoL of 100 orphaned children, who were aged between 7 and 17 years and lived in orphanages in Accra, Ghana. Participants completed measures of quality of life, self-efficacy, resilience, perceived social support and a demographic questionnaire. Analyses indicated that older orphans had higher levels of resilience and self-efficacy than younger orphans. However, older orphans had lower perceptions of support from friends, family and significant others than younger orphans. Moreover, females had higher self-efficacy than males. Furthermore, perceived social support and resilience emerged as significant positive predictors of quality of life. Implications of the findings are discussed.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial assistance of the Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University in funding the first author’s doctoral dissertation, out of which the present manuscript emerged. Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at are those of the authors and not to be attributed to the Graduate School or Stellenbosch University.

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  1. Department of Psychology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, 7602 Matieland, Stellenbosch, Western Cape Province, Republic of South Africa

    Joana Salifu Yendork & Nceba Z. Somhlaba

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  1. Joana Salifu Yendork
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Correspondence to Joana Salifu Yendork.

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Salifu Yendork, J., Somhlaba, N.Z. The Role of Demographic and Positive Psychological Factors on Quality of Life in Ghanaian Orphans Placed in Orphanages: An Exploratory Study. Child Ind Res 9, 429–443 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-015-9320-8

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