Perception of social support and psychological well-being among mothers of individuals with intellectual disabilities: the mediating role of self-efficacy.

Background: The aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between social support perception and psychological well-being among mothers of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Methods: A correlational survey model was used in this study in line with the research objectives. The study group consisted of mothers of individuals with intellectual disabilities (n=80) in two central districts of Malatya province. Convenience sampling was employed in the study. The Psychological Well-being Scale was used to measure the psychological well-being of the participating mothers, the "Perceived Support Scale for Families of Children with Disabilities" was used to measure their perceived levels of social support, and the "Parental Self-Efficacy Scale" was used to measure their self-efficacy. In addition, a personal information form was used to introduce the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the variables, and the normality assumption was examined using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests. The relationships between the variables were evaluated using Pearson's product-moment correlation analysis. Mediation analyses were performed using the PROCESS Macro (Model 4) developed by Hayes, and the significance of indirect effects was tested using the bootstrap method (5000 samples). The internal consistency reliability of the scales used in this study sample was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Results: There are positive and significant relationships between each of the perceived social support sub-dimensions of appreciation, informational, emotional, and companionship and self-efficacy (r = 0.28-0.36; p <0.05). A positive and significant relationship was also found between the total perceived social support score and self-efficacy (r = 0.37, p <0.01). In contrast, no direct significant relationships were found between perceived social support and its sub-dimensions and psychological well-being (p> 0.05). Psychological well-being showed only a moderate, positive and significant relationship with self-efficacy (r = 0.45, p <0.01). Conclusions: In conclusion, it can be said that the relationship between perceived social support and psychological well-being is not direct, but indirect, mediated by self-efficacy.