Psychological effects of participation in leisure time activities after natural disasters: The case of the February 6 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake

This study aims to explain the effects of participation in leisure time activities on post-earthquake trauma levels, happiness levels and coping strategies for stress through leisure time of earthquake survivors living in Kahramanmaraş province after the February 6 Kahramanmaraş earthquake. In the study, data were collected by questionnaire and convenience sampling method and the sample of the study consists of (N=752) individuals. Four different scales were used in the study along with socio-demographic questions. Statistical analysis of the collected data was performed with SPSS 26.0 program. As a result of the study, it was determined that post-earthquake trauma level scores were in favor of female samples, stress coping strategy scores through leisure time were higher in female samples, there was no significant difference in happiness scores between female and male samples, women participated in leisure time activities more frequently than men, individuals whose houses were destroyed after the earthquake had higher post-earthquake trauma levels than individuals whose houses were slightly damaged, individuals who lost more than ten relatives in the earthquake had higher post-earthquake trauma level scores than individuals who did not lose relatives in the earthquake. In the findings related to the structural equation model, it was determined that leisure time participation had a significant effect on the strategy of coping with stress through leisure time, and the strategy of coping with stress through leisure time had a significant effect on the level of post-earthquake trauma. It is recommended that non-governmental organizations and local governments should carry out studies to increase leisure time activity participation after the earthquake.