Introduction: Farmers are among the groups who have been severely affected by the mental health consequences of droughts. Improving the farmers’ psychological resilience can effectively manage their mental health issues during droughts. To effectively implement the required interventions and policies aimed at enhancing psychological resilience, it is essential to comprehend the phenomenon of farmers’ psychological resilience and how their psychological resilience is formed. Thus, this study is aimed to design a conceptual model for forming psychological resilience among farmers in drought-affected regions in Iran. Method: This qualitative study used a grounded theory methodology. A total of 35 participants, includ- ing experts and farmers, were selected using theoretical sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed using the approach of Corbin and Strauss. The study’s trustworthiness was achieved using Lincoln and Guba’s method, which focused on four key strategies: credibility, confirmability, dependability, and transferability. Results: Data analysis revealed 2,367 primary codes, which were refined to 1,437, leading to the extraction of 32 sub- categories and 12 main categories. Based on the findings, the main phenomenon was adaptation to the consequences of droughts. The “conditions” component included psychological factors, personal characteristics, perception and knowledge, and agricultural infrastructure factors. Drought coping strategies, health, economic, and socio-cultural factors, as well as government policies, were identified as the “actions-interactions” component. Moreover, the “consequences” component included the formation of psychological resilience and the reduction of mental disorders. Conclusion: Our study presented a novel conceptual model that showed the development of psychological resilience among farmers in drought-affected regions of Iran. Adaptation to the consequences of the drought was identified as the main factor for forming the farmers’ psychological resilience in droughts. The authors recommended community-based planning and interventions, to improve farmers’ psychological resilience and prevent mental health issues caused by droughts. Furthermore, considering socio- economic and cultural factors in future policy-making is highly suggested.

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