The aim of the study was to investigate relationships between temperament, character and perceived parental rearing among Iranian refugees resettled in Sweden. Our hypothesis was that temperament, character and parental rearing exert buffering effect against post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with the particular impact of specific factors. One hundred refugees participated in the project. They were assessed by means of the SCL-90-R, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the EMBU and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). A high level of self-directedness appeared as having a possible buffering effect against PTSD after several severe traumata. Furthermore, we found specific effects of other personality characteristics and of parental rearing in determining the relationships between the experience of several traumatic events and later psychopathological manifestations among the refugees. The educational level and the length of living in Sweden represented important socio-cultural factors in decreasing psychological disturbances. Even more, we found that despite the experience of an extreme trauma some of the refugees did not suffer from severe depression or other psychosomatic complaints.

Personality trauma resistance Traumatic experiences Iranian refugees Parental rearing

statistical analysis education depression refugee clinical feature human Life Change Events middle aged Self Report Ethnic Groups controlled study social aspect temperament Adaptation, Psychological Iran hypothesis Sweden Humans psychopathy male Acculturation Socioeconomic Factors Personality Inventory female Child Rearing questionnaire cultural factor Parenting scoring system Article experience major clinical study adult posttraumatic stress disorder Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Personality disease severity psychosomatic disorder psychotrauma parental behavior rearing character Child