Journal of Jiroft University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Given the psychological consequences and diminished quality of life resulting from traffic accidents, this study aimed to test a model of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) based on psychological hardiness, with the mediating role of social support, among accident-injured patients hospitalized at Jiroft Hospital.
Methods: The present study was conducted using a descriptive–correlational design among accident-injured patients hospitalized at Jiroft Hospital between October and December 2024. Based on the inclusion criteria, 350 participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using the PTSD questionnaire developed by Waters et al., the Ahvaz Psychological Hardiness Scale developed by Kiamarsi et al., and the Social Support Questionnaire designed by Sherbourne and Stewart. The reliability of the instruments was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.79 to 0.81. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27 and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).
Results: The results indicated that psychological hardiness had a positive and statistically significant effect on social support (p<0.05). Furthermore, both social support and psychological hardiness had a significant negative effect on the severity of PTSD symptoms (p<0.05). The coefficients of determination (R²) for social support and PTSD were 0.54 and 0.62, respectively. Moreover, the F statistics for the overall models were 42.1 and 36.8, respectively, indicating an acceptable model fit and a strong predictive power.
Conclusion: Psychological hardiness and social support serve as protective factors that attenuate PTSD symptoms among trauma survivors, providing a solid framework for the development of targeted psychosocial interventions.