Vulnerability to emotional problems in old parents of the children living abroad

ABSTRACT

In the present study an attempt was made to find out the vulnerability for emotional problems in old parents of children who have been living abroad since three years or more. In order to study the emotional problems IPAT Depression and IPAT Anxiety scales were administered to 100 old parents of children living abroad and 100 old parents living with their children in Pakistan. Two hundred participants were divided into two categories, 50 male and 50 female old parents of children living abroad and 50 male and 50 female old parents living with their children in Pakistan, out of which 25 single male parents, 25 single female parents and 50 both male and female parents were selected for both groups. That is the old parents living alone in Pakistan whose children are living abroad and both old parents living with their children in Pakistan. Old age is defined as the people who are 60 years of age and above. For the statistical analysis the chi-square test was used. All the three hypotheses were significant at p<.05 and p<.001 level. Results obtained indicate the significant difference between the two groups. The old parents of the children living abroad were found to be more depressed and more anxious than the old parents living with their children in Pakistan