The Mediating Role of Family Emotional Atmosphere in the Relationship between Students’ Resilience and Happiness

The present study was undertaken to identify the mediating role of family emotional atmophere in the relationship between students’ resilience and happiness. This non-experimental research had a correlational, predictive design. The statistical population of the study was comprised of all male and female high school students (10th, 11th and 12th graders) with an average age 16 years in Borujerd in school year 2016-17. According to Krejcie and Morgan table, the sufficient sample size for this population was 320; nevertheless, in order to reduce sample attrition and to achieve sampling sufficiency, 380 students were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling method. The instruments included Heilbrun’s Parent-Child Interaction Rating Scale (1964), the Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale (2003), and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (2002). Path analysis and LISREL8.8 were utilized to analyze the data. The results and obtained indices of NFI, CFI, AGFI, GFI, and RMSEA showed that the structural model provided a good fit to the data and the family emotional atmophere played a mediating role in the link between students’ resilience and happiness. According to the findings, it can be stated that positive family emotional atmophere promotes the resilience of family members and provides the necessary grounds for them to possess higher levels of happiness. Hence, positive family emotional atmophere leads to happiness and resilience and this, in turn, enhances self-esteem and trust between family members.