An examination of post-earthquake trauma levels and hopelessness and embitterment among adults affected by the February 6, 2023 earthquakes: The case of Hatay

This study investigates the post-disaster psychological processes of adults affected by the earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023, centered in Kahramanmaraş. The primary aim of the research is to examine the relationships between post-earthquake trauma levels, hopelessness, and embitterment, and to analyze whether hopelessness plays a mediating role in the relationship between trauma and embitterment. The study was conducted with 153 participants over the age of 18 who were directly affected by the earthquake in Hatay. Data were collected using a demographic information form, the Post-Earthquake Trauma Level Scale, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Post-Traumatic Embitterment Disorder Scale.The study adopted a relational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods, and the data were analyzed through correlation, regression, and mediation analyses. The findings revealed that trauma levels significantly predicted both hopelessness and embitterment; and that hopelessness was also a significant predictor of embitterment levels. Moreover, hopelessness was found to be a partially significant mediator in the relationship between trauma and embitterment. The findings emphasize the importance of addressing specific emotional reactions such as embitterment when structuring post-disaster mental health services.