Outcomes of Belief in Just World Among Victims of Natural and Man-Made Disaster: Moderating Role of Resilience

In the present study the effect of belief in just world on the prediction of well-being, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among victims of natural and man-made disaster was examined. The moderating role of resilience in the relationship between belief in just world and depression among victims of natural and man-made disaster was also studied. Belief in Just World Scale (Dalbert, 1999), Ego Resiliency Scale (Block & Kreman, 1996), Psychological Well-being Scale (Khan, 2008), Impact of Events Scale (Horowitz, Wilner, & Alvarez, 1979), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) were used for data collection from 220 disaster victims including victims of natural disaster and man-made disaster. Linear regression analysis, multiple moderated regression analysis, and independent sample t-test were computed to test the hypotheses. Belief in just world positively predicted well-being, whereas negatively predicted depression, and PTSD among victims of natural, man-made disaster and overall disaster victims. Resilience moderated the relationship between belief in just world and depression among the victims of natural and man-made disaster. Results on the gender differences revealed that female disaster victims exhibited more belief in just world as compared to male victims. Similarly, female victims of man-made disaster also exhibited higher levels of belief in just world as compared to male victims. However, results revealed nonsignificant gender differences among victims of natural disaster.