Family Resilience Model: The Influence of Cultural Identity, Coping, Family Strain, Socioeconomic Status, and Community Support on Family Resilience among the Batak Toba Ethnic Group

Abstract

A resilient family is capable of survival, overcoming difficult challenges, and growing stronger. Cultural identity is among many factors that play a role in forming family resilience because the understanding and values of family resilience must be built in accordance with local culture. This study aims to analyze the factors that build family resilience in Indonesian families, especially those from the Batak Toba. It uses the Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire to measure family resilience (α = 0.879), the Responses to Stress Questionnaire to measure coping (α =0.755), and the Family Strains Index to measure strain (α =0.763). Another measurement tool is the Batak Toba Adat Questionnaire, which is used to measure cultural identity (α = 0.677), community support, and socioeconomic status (SES). The data is analyzed using linear structural relations through structural equation modeling (SEM). The study participants are individuals who use Batak Toba surnames (N = 295) of whom 51.2% are female and 48.4% are male, with an age range of 30 to 65 years. The percentage of subjects from big families is 50.85%. Results show that cultural identity, coping, family strain, community support, and SES contribute together to build family resilience. The final generated model shows community support as a mediator of cultural identity and SES in the formation of family resilience, which is directly influenced by family strain and coping.