Peramal Kepuasan Hidup Wanita Melayu Pertengahan Umur Bekerjaya di Hulu Langat, Selangor (The Predictors of Life Satisfaction among Middle-Aged Malay Women in Hulu Langat, Selangor)

Abstract

Kepuasan hidup boleh dinilai secara spesifik mengikut domain tertentu kehidupan atau secara umum. Usia pertengahan sinonim dengan senario krisis pertengahan usia (midlife crisis). Ia digambarkan sebagai perubahan mendadak pada personaliti, gaya hidup dan keutamaan di dalam hidup. Objektif kajian ini dijalankan ialah untuk menganalisa faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi kepuasan hidup wanita pertengahan usia. Sokongan sosial, penghargaan kendiri, kesunyian dan motivasi agama dalaman dijangka mempengaruhi kepuasan hidup wanita bekerjaya pertengahan usia. Kajian ini telah dijalankan ke atas 410 orang wanita pertengahan usia bekerjaya di Hulu Langat, Selangor. Persampelan bertujuan telah digunakan kerana responden yang dipilih perlu memenuhi beberapa kriteria iaitu; wanita bekerjaya, Melayu, berumur 40-59 tahun dan tinggal serta bekerja di Hulu Langat, Selangor. Satu set borang soal selidik digunakan untuk mengkaji pemboleh ubah-pemboleh ubah terpilih. Analisis yang digunakan untuk mencapai objektif kajian ialah analisis regresi pelbagai (berperingkat). Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa hanya pemboleh ubah sokongan sosial, penghargaan kendiri dan kesunyian menyumbang kepada kepuasan hidup. Motivasi agama dalaman didapati tidak signifikan dalam meramal kepuasan hidup wanita pertengahan usia. Analisis R2 mendapati bahawa pemboleh ubah yang dikaji menyumbang sebanyak 47% kepada varians kepuasan hidup. Hasil kajian menyumbang kepada pemahaman baru terhadap peramal kepuasan hidup wanita pertengahan usia. Ia boleh dimanfaatkan oleh ahli psikologi, kaunselor, penyelidik dan pekerja sosial. Hasil kajian akan memberi input kepada perancangan program untuk meningkatkan kepuasan hidup wanita. Ia juga boleh dijadikan rujukan untuk penggubalan polisi dan dasar demi kebajikan wanita.

Kata kunci: Sokongan sosial; penghargaan kendiri; motivasi agama; kesunyian; kepuasan hidup

Life satisfaction can be determined by a variety of factors including life cycle and geography. Middle age in particular is often considered synonymous with the ‘mid-life crisis’ where dramatic changes in personality, lifestyle, and priorities might be detected. The objective of this study is to analyze the predictors of life satisfaction for middle-aged Malay women. A set of questions was issued to 410 middle-aged Malay women in Hulu Langat, Selangor. It was expected that factors including social support, self-esteem, friendship, and religion might influence life satisfaction and thus the questionnaire was designed to explore these issues. A purposive sampling method was used to ensure that selected respondents fulfilled a number of characteristics: they must be working women, Malay, aged between 40-59 years old, and live and work in Hulu Langat, Selangor. The responses were then subjected to multiple regression (stepwise) statistical analysis. The results showed that social support, self-esteem and loneliness all had an impact, but religious factors were less important in predicting life satisfaction among middle aged Malay women. The result of R2 showed that all variables tested contributed to 47% of life satisfaction variances. The study’s results contribute to an improved understanding of the predictors of life satisfaction among women and will, therefore, benefit psychologists, counselors, researchers and social workers. The results could also provide information for programs designed to enhance life satisfaction and constitute a reference point for women’s future welfare policy.

Keywords: Social support; self-esteem; intrinsic religious motivation; loneliness; life satisfaction.