The Prediction of Post-traumatic Growth Based on Openness to Experience and Self-Concept by Mediating of Social Support in Veterans with PTSD: A Structural Equations Modeling

The purpose of the study was to present a structural equation model to predict post-traumatic growth based on openness to experience and self-perception by mediating of social support in veterans with PTSD.

Due to the limited size of population living in Saveh, Iran, all veterans with PTSD who were 300 individuals were selected by census method. Subjects responded to questionnaires of Openness to Experience (Woo et al,. 2014), Self-Concept (Beck and Steer, 1987), Social Support (Sherbourn and Stewart, 1991) and post-traumatic growth (Tedeschi and Calhoun, 1996). Data were analyzed by path analysis.

According to the adjusted model, results showed that self-concept, openness to experience and social support has direct and positive effect post-traumatic growth. In addition to direct effect, self-concept and openness to experience have indirect effect on post-traumatic growth of veterans by mediation of social support. Self-concept, social support and openness to experience have the most contribution in predicting the post-traumatic growth, respectively.

The degree of social support has increased by the increase of self-concept and openness to experience and this eventually leads to the increase of post-traumatic growth among veterans with PTSD.