Postrraumatic stress disorder and coping behaviors appeared in individuals working in different occupational groups after the Marmara earthquake occured 12 August

03. Summary The aim of this study is to determine the stress disorders and coping behaviours that observed amongst the different occupational groups after the Marmara Earthquake, occurud in 17 August 1999. A total number of 442 people randomly selected as a sample from different occupational groups, namely, bank clerks, teachers, and nurses who have been working in İzmit, Gölcük, Değirmendere, Derince, and Karamürsel. The data was collected from 157 people three months after the earthquake and 285 people eighteen months after the earthquake. A causal-comparative and co-relational method have been used in the research. The data gathering means used in the study were namely, Coping Behaviour Inventory ( developed by Özbay and Şahin in 1997), Symptom Check List ( developed by Derogatis et al. in 1997), and information gathering forms (developed by the researcher). The data collected has been analysed by using a computer statistic programme called SPSS WINDOWS. In addition to the descriptive statistics, t-test to compare psychological symptoms, and factorial ANOVA to examine the interaction of the coping behaviours with respect to the relationship between time and occupation have been used. Correlation techniques have also been used in the research to find out the relationship between coping behaviours and psychological symptoms. The results showed that decrease in psychological symptoms, obsessive-compulsive, depression, phobic anxiety, and the additional scale symptoms, was statistically significant 1 8 months after the earthquake. The results also showed that the effects of time and occupation on coping strategy was not statistically significant. The effect of time variable on fatalism and acceptance (cognitive reconstruction) was found statistically significant. The results have been discussed in terms of stress disorders in relation to the previous research finding and psychological services that should be given people who affected from the earthquake. Key Words: Coping with stress, Earthquake, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Cognitive Appraisal VII -sssss»