Family function and social support in Iranian self-immolated women.

Aim: The significance of family function and social support in Iranian self-immolated women was investigated in this study.

Methods: In a prospective design, we selected 53 cases (31 self-immolated women and 22 women with unintentional burn) from Tehran and Shiraz burn centre (Motahari and Ghotbeddin Shirazi, respectively). The average age of the experimental group was 26.19 (S=7.11) with a burn percentage of 46.11 (S=25.52), and the average age of the control group was 29.15 (S=5.12) and their burn percentage was 43 (S=25.98). Along with Demographic Information Questionnaire, participants were administered Family Assessment Device (FAD) and Social Support Scale (SSS). To analyse data, we used chi-square test (χ(2)), t-test, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and also logistic regression analysis.

Results: Data showed that the difference of Family Function sub-scales between the experimental and control groups was not significant (Wilk's lambda=0.75, F=1.67, df=(8, 51), P<0.05). On the other hand, two independent sample t-tests showed a significant difference of Social Support between the two groups (t=-3.31, df=51, P<0.002).

Conclusions: Consistent with previous studies, this research showed that the less Social Support one perceives the more one at risk for self-immolation. Although the mean scores of FAD sub-scales in control group were more than experimental group, there was no significant difference between the two groups.