Comparative Study of the Financial Independence, Self-Confidence and Decision-Making Power, Awareness of the Social Resources and Mental Health in the Women Members of SHG and Non-Member of SHG

doi:10.4236/sm.2013.31017

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2013. Vol.3, No.1, 114-117

Published Online January 2013 in SciRes (http://www.scirp.org/journal/sm) http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/sm.2013.31017

114

Comparative Study of the Financial Independence,

Self-Confidence and Decision-Making Power,

Awareness of the Social Resources and

Mental Health in the Women Members

of SHG and Non-Member of SHG

Farhad Asghari1, Abbas Sadeghi1, Khaled Aslani2

1Department of Educational S ciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

2Department of Counseling, Univer sity of Shahid Chamran, Ahvaz, Iran

Email: [email protected]

Received August 6th, 2012; re vised October 7th, 2012; accepted October 21st, 2012

The main objective of the present paper was the evaluation of the program of the self help groups in the

Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Hamadan and Western Azerbaijan in Iran. The Casual-comparative research

method has been used in this research and statistical population was all the women members of SHG and

Non-Member of SHG. The statistical samples were included 289 the women members of SHG (137) and

Non-Member of SHG (152) due to the size of the population, more than /90 of population has been se-

lected. Three different research instrument have been used which are included Demographic features

questionnaire, Questionnaire of the evaluation of the self help groups’ empowerment, General Health

Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The reliability of the questionnaire of the evaluation of the self help groups’

empowerment was /80 and General health questionnaire (GHQ-28) was /92. According to the research

results, there are significant relationship between the amount of the financial independence, self confi-

dence, the decision making power and the amount of the awareness of women members of SHG and Non-

Member of SHG. Also, there were no significant relationship between the amount of cutting dependency

to direct financial supports and mental health the women members of SHG and Non-Member of SHG.

Keywords: Financial Independence; Self-Confidence; Decision-Making Power; Social Resources; Mental

Health

Introduction

The concept of feministic empowerment views needs more

attention than concepts like economic situation and it includes

women’s welfare and strategic benefits (Swain, 2006). Femi-

nists have also argued that the given women’s primary respon-

sibility for ensuring social reproduction, state policies that sub-

sidize the costs of social reproduction are an important aspect

of engendered development policy (Power, 2004). Another

concept suggested by Sen (1999) which emphasizes on the

effects of social empowerment , deals with some crucial matters

like co-existence and survivorship which include appropriate

nutrition, place of living and suitable hygiene. Regardless of

lifestyle these are called the fundamental principles of life. Em-

powerment is a multilevel construct and there-fore, analysis of

empowerment methods and outcomes should be directed at

three interdependent levels. These three levels are: 1) individual

or Psychological Empowerment (PE); 2) Community Empow-

erment (CE); and 3) Organizational Empowerment (OE) (Rap-

paport, 1984; Zimmerman et al., 1992; Israel et al., 1994; Zim-

merman, 1995). Mayoux (2000) defines empowerment as a pro-

cess of inside change, or inside power, improving capabilities

and communal mobilization. The individual empowerment may

be describes as appropriate decisions and improving auto-

nomy and the control of their own economic resources. In defi-

nition of the empowerment he mentioned that the empower-

ment has a direct relationship with power as a polyhedral proc-

ess which includes: power within: it enables women to express

their wishes in detail and also it gives them strategies for ex-

pressing changes in their life. Power to: it enables women to

improve the needed skills for achieving their wishes. Power

with: it enables women to evaluate and expressing their inter-

ests to organize and achieve them and to think about other

women and men’s organizations. Power over: which includes

changing the inequality of power and resources which influ-

ences women’s wishes and enable them to achieve their wishes?

The component of power incorporates different parts and levels

of life. Kabeer (1999) emphasize that empowerment is a proc-

ess that women deny their capability for making strategic deci-

sions. Women who are in cooperative groups are completely

safe by improving the feeling of self or Son. Empowerment

helps women to understand identity, capabilities and power. It

also helps the women to overcome shyness and to feel confi-

dence whenever they talk about themselves (Umushankar,

2006). These groups have an impact on empowerment and im-

proving efficiency by controlling the resources and recognition

and self-respect (Zamman, 2001). Recently different studies

about the positive effects of cooperative groups have been re-

F. ASGHARI ET AL.

ported (Simanowitz & Walker, 2002). Usually the main goal of

these economical services in India is thriftiness, credibility and

products of poor people in the village and urban areas to in-

crease the rate of incomes and improving the standards of life

(NABARD1, 2006). The result of Tomkha (2002) study about

the socioeconomic situation of 560 members of 223 cooperative

groups from 11 provinces before and after joining to the group

showed that: the average possession of the family increases

72.3% and during three years it reached to 11,793 rupiah. The

average net income also increases which was from different

businesses by getting the loan. It is from 20,177 rupiah to

26,889 rupiah. The rate of employment growth has been 17

percent. Getting loan for doing business has an increase from

50 percent to 70 percent. 47.8 percent of the families are not

below the poverty line anymore. The results of a study from

cooperative women group in Tamil Nadu (2007) showed that a

member who joins the group has cattle and properties and were

in debt. And the age and the productive properties except the

land have a negative independency with participation in the

group. But social backwardness, being in debt and the need for

the loan in the region or neighbor villages, has a positive effect

on women contribution. The result of Anjogam and Rasmamy

(2007) showed that the most popular reasons for joining to the

group are, getting loan, doing business, saving money and re-

ducing previous debts. Moreover Puhazhendi and Badatya

(2002) in their studies of the cooperative groups found that this

program has a positive social effect. Puhazhendi and Satyasai

(2000) argued that the social effect of the cooperative groups’

program is more than its economic effect. The results of Rao

study (2008) on reforms with a female face showed that the

latter lacks administrative support and relies upon the expendi-

ture of time and resources by participants themselves, re-em-

phasizing class and caste inequalities among women and un-

dermining the broader project of empowerment.

According to the results of Swain (2006) study, 88% of the

members reported that they feel more confidence after joining

the group. They showed positive change in expressing their be-

liefs and activity, confidence and communication skills have

been improved among them. Improving knowledge and contri-

bution in local political organization and participation in the

government political actions have been observed among the

members of the cooperative groups. The main purpose of this

article is to evaluate the cooperative groups and deals with

economic independency, self-confidence, decision making, and

familiarity with social resources in females headed households

and mental health of Self-Help Groups (SHG) in Kurdistan,

Kermanshah, Hamadan and western Azerbaijan Providences.

Methodology

The Causative-comparative approach has been used in this

research. The research is about the women who members of

self help groups and females who are not a member of self help

groups which are under protection of welfare organization in

the Hamadan, Kermanshah, Kurdistan, and Western Azerbaijan.

Because the community and members of the self help groups

under study were limited, most of them had been taken as an

example. The members of the control group are similar to the

self help group members in many areas like cultural, social,

educational, economical situation, age and family.

Demographic features questionnaire, Questionnaire of the

evaluation of the self help groups’ empowerment, General health

questionnaire (GHQ-28).

Demographic features questionnaire: this questionnaire is

about the population of the women who are a member of the

SHG and who are not. The questions are about age, education,

marriage, place of living, the numbers of the members of the

family and the date of constitution which are provided by the

researcher. Questionnaire of the evaluation of the cooperative

groups’ empowerment: this questionnaire provided by the re-

searcher and based on 4 principles:

1) Evaluation of the economic independence;

2) Self-confidence and decision making;

3) Dependence and independence to direct economical sup-

port;

4) Recognition of the social resources.

This questionnaire is based on some other questionnaires

presented by Baland et al. (2008), Basu and Srivastava (2010),

Swain (2006), which were about the evaluation of the empow-

erment of the cooperative groups. This questionnaire has been

confirmed by sociologists and psychologists. The calculated

durability of the questionnaire is based on the Cronbach alpha

factor which is 80.

General health questionnaire firstly conducted by Goldberg

(1972). This test evaluates the illness factors, one month before

taking the exam. Golberg first calculated the rate of GHQ and

then reported that the rate of sensitivity, specifity and the error

factor in a category of 60 questions are 77.5%, 88.4% and

15.4% respectively. These GHQ results in Iran are 86.5%, 82%

and 16% (Vaghobi, 2008). The results of Gibones et al. (2004)

study using test-retest approach are alpha coefficient/74. Ac-

cording to the cutting point which is 6.7, the sensitivity is 88

and specifity is 84.2. In Palaheng (1997) study in which the

cutting point is 22, the sensitivity, specify, category error, is: 88,

74, 80, 20 and the alpha coefficient in present study is /92.

Findings

As we see in Table 1, the average and standard deviation re-

lated to the Member of SHG and Non-Member of SHG are

described.

Table 2 shows the one way variance analysis of variables

economic independence, self-confidence & decision-making

power, Cutting dependency to direct supports, Knowledge of

social resources and Mental health in members of SHG and

Non-Member of SHG.

Discussion and Conclusions

Evaluation of the results of the first hypothesis showed that:

“there is a huge difference between in the financial independ-

ency of the self headed females who are a member of SHG and

who are not.” The result of this research is similar to the results

of the Microfinance Innovation Department researches (2002),

Meyer and Tenkha (2002), Basu (2006) and Tamil Nadu (2007).

The results of the Microfinance Innovation Department re-

searches (2002) show that the sample members reported a 59

percent increase of their properties. Their living conditions get

better and they learned to save money. The results of Meyer

and Tankha’s study (2002) showed that the social condition of

560 members of 223 cooperative groups from 11 provinces has

a 72.3 growth in the family possessions after joining to the

1National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.

F. ASGHARI ET AL.

Table 1.

Comparisons between mem ber and Non-Member of SHG.

Variables Groups NO MeansStandard

deviation

Members of SHG 137 45/12 88/1

Economic

independence Non-Members of SHG 162 26/11 77/2

Members of SHG 137

Self-esteem &

decision-making

power Non-Members of SHG 162

37/16 52/2

86/14 80/2

Members of SHG 137 15/20 57/3

Cutting dependency

to direct supports Non-Members of SHG 162 04/20 06/3

Members of SHG 137 94/7 65/1

Knowledge of

social resources Non-Members of SHG 162 22/6 54/2

Members of SHG 137 98/26 38/11

Mental health Non-Members of SHG 162 61/25 30/12

Table 2.

The one way variance analysis of variables economic independence,

self-confidence & decision-making power, cutting dependency to direct

supports, knowledge of social resources and mental health in members

of SHG and Non-Member of SHG.

V Errors Sum of S D.F M.S F S.L

E.I B.G

I.G

Total

104/27

1728/58 1

297 104/27

1832/85 298 5/82

17/92 0/000

S & D-M-P B.G

I.G

Total

168/14

2135/83

2302/97

297 168/14

7/91

298 23/38 0/000

CD to DS B.G

I.G

Total

0/951

3239/04

3239/99

297

298

0/951

10/91

0/087 0/768

K of SR B.G

I.G 218/81

1407/26

Total 1626/08

297

298

218/81

4/74

46/18 0/000

M.H B.G

I.G 139/32

41980/4 1

Total 42119/7 297

298

139/32

141/35

0/986 0/323

Note: V = Variable; E.I = Economic Independence; S & D-M-P = Self-confidence &

Decision-Making Power; CD to DS = Cutting Dependency to Direct Supports; K

of SR = Knowledge of Social Resources; M.H = Mental Health; B.G = Between

Groups; I.G = Inter Groups; Sum of S = Sum of squares; M.S = Mean of Squares;

S.L = Signifi c ance Level.

cooperative group. A study in India on cooperative groups in 4

province showed that 36% members saved less than 30 rupiah

in a month, 51% of them 31 - 50 rupiah and 13% saved more

than 50 rupiah in a month. And for all the groups the savings

were about 33,700 rupiah in a year (Basu, 2006). Another study

carried out in Tamil Nadu. According to its results the family

who joined the group posse’s cattle and properties although this

family had huge debts before joining to the group.

The results of the second hypothesis showed that there is a

huge difference in the rate of self-confidence between the self

headed females who are a member of the cooperative group and

who are not. The results are similar to Anjugam and Ramasamy

(2007), Puhazhendi and Badatya (2002), Puhazhendi and Sat-

yasai (2000) and Swain (2007) according to the results of An-

jugam and Ramasami (2007), the social condition of the self

help groups members got better after joining to the self help

group. Moreover the dependency to lenders who are out of

group was decreased. Puhazhendi and Satyasai (2000) argued

that the social effects of cooperative groups’ programs are more

than its economical effect. Self help groups have an important

role in reduction of vulnerability of the poor people and help

them to work and make money. The results of the Swain (2007)

study showed that 88% of the members of the cooperative

groups reported a self-confidence improvement.

After studying the third hypothesis “there’s a huge difference

between the independence of self headed females who are a

member of the self help groups and self headed females who

are not.” The result was just the opposite. The results of this

study were in contrast with findings of Haris (2007), Basu

(2006), Puhazhendi and Satyasay (2000), Mont Gomry and

colleagues (1999), the organization of economic development,

rural system (2006) and Aisha Khan (2006). Another study car-

ried out by Puhazhendi (2000) between the years of 1996-1997.

It was about the cooperative groups’ performance. He found

that 61% of the members had an acceptable performance, 29%

had a normal performance and 10% had a weak performance.

Another study carried out on 12 rural development committee

in Bangladesh. 10% of the women reported that they have no

income and they get help from their friends and family (Mont

Gomery et al., (1996). Another research in India about self help

groups had been conducted. It studied 214 cooperative groups

in 108 villages in 4 provinces and 9 crowded regions. Conse-

quently these groups were economically and socially successful

(Rural Education and Action Development, 2006). Also Aisha

Khan (2006) believes in the positive effects of cooperative

groups. More than 90 percent of cooperative groups in Iran get

pension from welfare organizations and they also do some eco-

nomical activities however, most of the self help groups have

no saving fund and they make money by some economical acti-

vities although it is in contrast with the principles of the coop-

erative groups. It seems that cooperative groups in Iran, who are

financially independent, hide their independency. Because the

governmental organization might stop their financial support.

The fourth hypothesis there is a meaningful difference be-

tween the social resources of the women who are member of

the self help groups and who are not. In Table 2 the results

show that there is no meaningful difference between them. The

results of this hypothesis are similar to the results of Letil Field

and his colleagues research (2003).

A study carried out by the National Institution of Rural De-

velopment in the year 2004, showed that 57% contribute in

programs. 82% of the members said that they send their chil-

dren to school. 43% of the members have got loans. It showed

women contribution in making decisions (Rao et al., 1999).

Harper’s study (1998) on 1000 members of the cooperative

groups in 4 provinces showed that nutrition diets, properties

and level of education had been improved. The members get

benefits in different levels but for poor families it is a little

harder. Just 31% of members of the poor families improve their

properties and 15% improve their educational condition.

In the fifth hypothesis “there is a meaningful difference be-

tween the mental health of the women who are a member of the

self help groups and women who are not. According to the

results of Table 2, the hypothesis disproved. There’s no avail-

able research that specifically studies the relationship between

the self help groups and mental health. In Swain (2006) study

there was a huge difference between the answers of the self-

116

F. ASGHARI ET AL.

help group and control group. 88% of the respondents reported

a increased rate of reliance after joining to the group. And they

feel more positive changes in expressing their opinion. Basu

and Vastava (2010) regard the increased rate of self-respect and

welfare as the effects of the cooperative groups.

The results of the Meyer and Tankha (2002) show that the

positive effects of the self help groups on the members are:

self-confidence, communication skills, participation in social

oppositions, logical responses to problems and reduction of

aggression. Poverty reveals the story of women and their pres-

sures and endeavors. Poverty causes low self-confidence, pres-

sure and dependency and limit capacities and participation in

self help groups leads to a change. Women show the “feeling of

freedom”, increase their self-respect and self-confidence, their

understandings change and the feeling of power and motion

have its roots in limita tion and force.

We should pay attention that where the mental health of the

women is not normal. It helps to choose the women for the self

help groups. women who are under pressure because of differ-

ent reasons such as death of husband, disease, husbands break-

down, disease of other members of the family, poverty and

financial problems, lack of control in life, lack of basic skills,

lack of social and family support, feeling of loneliness, absence

of sufficient mental and physical services and absence of psy-

chologists and chronic mental and physical disease.

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