Living through a Global Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Psychological Resilience of the University Population in Iran

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to describe and understand the individual and social dimensions of resiliency among Iranian academics as professionals during the early wave of the ongoing pandemic. Furthermore, we aimed to emphasize the cultural context in our analysis. Method: A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. We used convenient sampling, administered through an online survey, among academics at Iranian universities (n = 196, 75% women). We employed the CD-RISC 2 instrument, items on life meaning, and a modified version of Pargament’s RCOPE instrument (Meaning, Control, Comfort/Spirituality, Intimacy/Spirituality, and Life Transformation). Results: The results revealed a strong level of resilience among men (M = 5.78) and women (M = 5.52). Self-rated health was rated as excellent, very good, or good among a majority (92%) of the participants, more so among men. Family was one of the factors that most strongly gave life meaning, followed by friends, work/school, and religion/spirituality. There was a strong correlation between self-rated health and life as part of a greater whole, being alone, and listening to the sounds of the surrounding nature. Conclusions: Both personal and social levels of resilience and meaning-making are seen in the results, with an ability to balance between obstacles and resources. Cultural practices are interdependent, which also include the individual and social dimensions of resiliency and meaning-making.

Job Satisfaction and Overcoming the Challenges of Teleworking in Times of COVID-19: A Pilot Study Among Iranian University Community

“…Therefore, our sample skewed female, younger, single, and student respondents. This sample was also used in a previous publication by Ahmadi et al (2023) which reported the psychological resilience of the academic population during the mass trauma of the current global pandemic.…”

“… Source . Reprinted from “Living through a Global Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Psychological Resilience of the University Population in Iran,” by Ahmadi et al (2023). …”

“…In this study and our other concurrent investigations, we did not make use of the existing questionnaires due to the novelty of the pandemic situations. Given the Ahmadi et al (2023).…”