Consistency of prediction across generation: explaining quality of life by family functioning and health-promoting behaviors

Purpose The study aimed to investigate the consistency of relationship between family functioning, health-promoting behaviors, and quality of life across generations in joint families. Method The sample comprises of 79 joint families (N = 316 members, n = 79 grandparents (grandfathers = 27, grandmothers = 52) n = 158 parents (fathers = 79, mothers = 79), and n = 79 grandchildren (girls = 61, boys = 18)). Data were collected on Self-Report Family Inventory, SFI, Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, HPLP-II, and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale BREF WHO QOL BREF. All three variables, i.e., family functioning, health-promoting behaviors, and quality of life, were modeled as latent variables. Analyses were conducted separately for each group. Results Results showed that in grandparents, family functioning predicted (beta = .44, < .01,) health-promoting behaviors (R-2 =.20), which in turn predicted (beta =.26, p < . 05) quality of life (R-2 =.85). Family functioning appears to have significant indirect effects (beta =.34, p < . 01) through health-promoting behaviors on quality of life. The model fit indices showed a good fit (IFI =.917, CFI = .910, RMSEA = .078) of the model of the data. For all other groups, i.e., fathers, mothers, and grandchildren, family functioning and health-promoting behaviors independently predicted quality of life (R-2 =.55, .67, and .54, respectively). Conclusion Our results showed that family functioning and health-promoting behaviors are consistent predictors of quality of life across generations.