A study on the variables affecting post-traumatic stress disorder in individuals experiencing 6 February earthquakes

The present study aimed to investigate the relationships between intolerance of uncertainty, perceived social support, and psychological resilience—variables that influence post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) —as well as their associations with sociodemographic characteristics in Kahramanmaras, the epicentre of the February 6, 2023 earthquakes. The study population consisted of adults who experienced the earthquakes in Kahramanmaras and its districts and were residing in Kahramanmaras during the data collection process. The study employed the Sociodemographic Form, the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Brief Resilience Scale as data collection instruments. Data were collected from a total of 348 individuals and analysed using IBM SPSS 29. Assuming a normal distribution of data, parametric tests were conducted. The participants' demographic characteristics and scale responses were examined using independent samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance, while relationships between variables were analysed using Pearson correlation analysis. The effects of independent variables on the dependent variable were assessed through linear regression analysis. According to the findings, post-traumatic stress levels were higher among women, individuals who had experienced entrapment under debris, those who lost loved ones after the earthquake, and those who relocated to another city following the disaster. As financial status decreased, post-traumatic stress levels increased, intolerance of uncertainty heightened, and perceived social support diminished. Men demonstrated higher levels of psychological resilience compared to women. The study variables were found to be positively or negatively correlated with one another. Intolerance of uncertainty, perceived social support, and psychological resilience predicted PTSD. The findings were discussed in light of the existing literature.