Religiosity and post-traumatic stress disorder among Muslim female student victims of sexual harassment: the mediating role of self-efficacy and optimism

The aim of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of religiosity on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among female university students who had experienced sexual harassment, with self-efficacy and optimism as mediators. Using convenience sampling, 170 participants (M = 19.81, SD = 1.35) completed self-report measures, including the PTSD Checklist – Civilian Version (PCL-C), the Religiosity Among Muslims Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and a short version of the Personal Optimism Scale. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data. The results indicate that higher religiosity is significantly associated with fewer PTSD symptoms. More specifically, self-efficacy and optimism mediate this relationship, suggesting that these psychological factors contribute to resilience following trauma. These findings highlight the importance of psychosocial and faith-based interventions in supporting survivors of sexual harassment in higher education institutions.