The relationship between personality traits and hardness with symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress based on religious beliefs in earthquake victims in Kermanshah province

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition caused by terrifying, shocking, scary, or dangerous events. These events are so severe that one usually cannot gain proper insight into them and they are rooted in traumatic experiences in life. These incidents are expected to recur, if left untreated, creating a chain of events in a person's life. Based on available evidence, PTSD can lead to depression and panic disorder.

The present study aimed to assess relation of Personality characteristics and tenacity with signs of gloom and post- traumatic stress based on religious opinions in casualties of earthquake in Kermanshah area.

In this study, 400 people who had survived the temblor of Kermanshah in Sarpol-e Zahab who suffered from PTSD were randomly selected, and the research questionnaires were distributed among them. Data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 20) using an independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, path analysis, and Pearson correlation. The descriptive results of the study demonstrated that 196 (51.3%) subjects were male and 186 (48.7%) cases were female. Regarding age, the lowest frequency (n=70; 18.3%) was related to the age range of under 20 years old. In terms of education, the highest frequency (n=149; 39%) was related to the cases who hold a diploma, while the lowest frequency was related to subjects with a master's degree and higher.

The results pointed out that Fit Index (IFI), relative fit index (RFI), Normed Fit Index (NFI), comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker Lewis Index (TLI), and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) indices were at the desired level, indicating the suitable fit of the model. Due to the negative effects of religiosity on stress disorder (B=-0.14) and depression (B=-0.04) in Kermanshah earthquake victims, it has an inverse relationship with stress disorder and depression and reduces stress. Moreover, there was a positive association between acceptance personality trait and religious beliefs, and the significance level of the test was less than 0.05, pointing to a direct and significant relationship between acceptance and religious beliefs at %95 confidence level. Nonetheless, there was a negative association between neuroticism and religious beliefs, and the significance level of the test was less than 0.01, pointing to a significant inverse relationship between neuroticism and religious beliefs at a %99 confidence level.

As evidenced by the results of the present study, hardiness and personality traits were significantly correlated with depression and PTSD based on the mediating role of religious beliefs among earthquake victims in Kermanshah province. This helps to better understand the relationship of religious beliefs with spontaneous and controlled processes in a more systematic way and helps people to create a more accurate view.