The effect of spiritual self-care model on the self-efficacy of spouses of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: A quasi-experimental study

The present study aims to determine the effect of the spiritual self-care model on the self-efficacy of spouses of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This quasi-experimental study, conducted in 2023, focused on the wives of veterans with PTSD. Data collection was carried out using a non-random sampling method. Data for this research were gathered using demographic and self-efficacy questionnaires. The demographic questionnaire collected information on the age of the veteran's spouse, duration of marriage, percentage of military service, education, and occupation. A total of 30 participants were divided into intervention and control groups. The independent t-test revealed a significant difference between the control and spiritual self-care groups after the intervention (P<0.01), whereas no significant difference was observed before the intervention (P=0.36). Additionally, the paired t-test indicated no significant difference in the control group before and after the intervention (P=0.89). Still, a significant difference was found in the spiritual self-care group (P<0.01). After adjusting for the pre-test effects, it was demonstrated that the spiritual self-care model significantly impacts the self-efficacy of veterans. It is estimated that approximately 85% of the changes in self-efficacy can be attributed to the spiritual care intervention (Eta=0.85, P<0.001). This research demonstrated that spiritual self-care enhances self-efficacy in veterans' wives. As a psychological variable, self-efficacy is crucial in managing life crises and stresses. Spiritual beliefs serve as an effective strategy for coping with challenges and significantly improve the self-efficacy of veterans' wives.