Terrorism Catastrophizing, Social Support and Psychological wellbeing amongst the Students of Balochistan, Pakistan

Abstract

The present study aimed to address the profound gap in the literature by investigating the relationship between terrorism catastrophizing, social support, and psychological well-being among college students in Hub, Balochistan. Terrorism continues to exert intense effects on the social and psychological wellbeing of individuals, particularly students who represent a valuable and vulnerable segment of society. Earlier researches have examined the consequences of terrorism, but little attention has been paid to its connection with social support and psychological well-being. A total of 203 students (103 males, 100 females) from Government Degree College Hub participated in the study. To collect the data, standardized measures, including the Terrorism Catastrophizing Scale (TERCS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the Psychological Well-being Scale (PWBS), were employed. Results show that terrorism catastrophizing was negatively associated with social support and its domains, but showing a positive relationship with psychological well-being. Social support, in turn, was found to be negatively associated with psychological well-being, indicating a complex interplay between these constructs in terrorism-affected settings. Demographic analyses further showed significant variations across age and educational levels, offering deeper insight into students’ coping responses. These findings highlight how prolonged exposure to terrorism reshapes students’ perceptions of social life and personal growth. The study findings highlight the importance of context-specific interventions within educational institutions that not only address the psychological consequences of terrorism but also strengthen adaptive coping strategies to enable students to pursue academic goals while maintaining psychological health.