comparative study of psychological well-being of female heads of house hold & women in male headed households in tehran

this research compares the psychological well-being of female heads of household and woman in male-headed in city of tehran. it was a descriptive cross-sectional study. statistical population was consisted of female heads of family under coverage of imam khomeini aid committee and woman in male-headed households in city of tehran in 2012. the sample consisted of 280 subjects including 140 female heads of household and 140 women in male-headed households, who were selected randomly among statistical population. the research instrument was ryff’s psychological well-being scale (1995). data were analyzed using multivariable analysis of variances (manova), by spss-18 software. the results showed that average scores of psychological well-being, and subscales of self-acceptance, positive relations with other people، and purposeful life in male-headed households were higher than female heads of households and difference between two average scores was significant. mean scores of female heads of households in scales of autonomy, control over environment and personal development, were higher than women in male-headed households, but difference between two groups was significant only in terms of autonomy. the results indicated that the female heads of family were more prone to risk taking behavior, then conducting workshops on communicational skills and problem solving can be efficient to improve the psychological well- being of them.