The moderating role of perceived social support in relationship between workplace violence with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among nurses in Karbala

The presence of violence in the workplace is a threatening factor for nurses’ psychological health. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the moderating role of perceived social support in the relationship between workplace violence (physical, Verbal, and sexual harassment) with Post Traumatic Stress Disorders symptoms among nurses in Karbala City, Iraq. 

The research method was a descriptive correlation and was used in hierarchical regression analysis. The statistical population of the research included all the hospital nurses of the city of Karbala in Iraq in the summer of 2023. Three hundred and forty-nine nurses were selected by convenience sampling method. The data were collected using the violence in workplace questionnaire, Post Traumatic Stress Disorders symptoms checklist, and perceived social support questionnaire. To analyze data, Pearson's correlation coefficient and hierarchical regression analysis statistical tests were used by SPSS software, 26 versions. 

The results revealed that perceived social support moderates the relationship between violence in the workplace (physical, verbal, and sexual harassment) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (p<0.01). It means, that when the perceived social support is low, hostility at the workplace (physical, verbal, and sexual harassment) has a stronger relationship with post-traumatic stress symptoms (p<0.01).

Based on the results of the present study, perceived social support is a necessary variable to prevent the destructive effects of violence in nurses' work settings. Therefore, due to the role and importance of the perception of social support among nurses, attention to this important finding should be taken into consideration by managers and policymakers of healthcare organizations.