Abstract

Background and Aim: Military personnel, parallel to appropriate personality traits to the military environment, need virtues and character strengths(CS) that contain values appropriate to the environment. We designed a model that examines the impact of comprehensive virtues and CS in reducing psychological distress. Methods: The present study is an SEM study. The sample community is an available example of 410 persons of military men in Tehran. We used a demographic information questionnaire, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), and Virtues Inventory in Action (VIA-120). Results: findings showed virtues and CS of wisdom, justice, humanity, and transcendence (except for spirituality) are significantly related to psychological distress. With increasing CS, psychological distress in employees decreased, but with increasing virtues, psychological distress in employees increased. The virtues and CS of temperance and courage were not significantly associated with psychological distress. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, military services should pay more attention to the virtues and CS effective in reducing staff distress and strengthening these traits in them.