Calidad de vida y apoyo social en estudiantes madres y padres que tienen inscritos a sus hijos en el centro de desarrollo inicial Kindercampus de la Universidad de Cuenca, en el periodo lectivo 2025-2026

Abstract

Parenthood is a role that can trigger stress during higher education due to various challenges that negatively impact quality of life. To counteract these difficulties, social support from the surrounding community is essential. Therefore, the general objective of this study was to determine the dimensions of quality of life and perceived social support among student mothers and fathers whose children are enrolled at the "Kindercampus" early childhood development center at the University of Cuenca. Specific objectives included describing the dimensions of quality of life according to sociodemographic variables and identifying the dimensions of social support based on sociodemographic variables. The study employed a quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional approach, involving 31 university students who completed the WHOQOL-BREF scale and the Duke-UNK-11 questionnaire. The results reveal that university-educated mothers and fathers who are married and live with their partner or solely with their child tend to have higher scores in the psychological and physical dimensions. Conversely, students between 26 and 29 years old who are self-employed or work in commerce have the lowest scores in the physical dimension of quality of life. Finally, students between 18 and 21 years old who are homemakers have higher scores in emotional support, while those who are self-employed or work in commerce and live with other family members have the lowest scores in this dimension.