The effect of emerging cognitions on post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress symptoms in adults who exposed or witnessing a fire

The incidence of forest fires, which are one of the category of natural and man-made disasters, has been increasing in all around the world and in our country in recent years. Milas district of Muğla is one of the districts most affected by forest fires in 53 provinces of our country between 28 July 2021 and 12 August 2021. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of post-traumatic cognition on post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress symptoms of adults who have been directly exposed to or witnessed a fire. The research sample consists of a total of 118 participants, between the ages of 18-65, a control group of 59 people living in the center of Milas, who did not directly witness the fire, and a research group of 59 people living in the fire area who directly witnessed the fire. Participant Information Form, Fire Experience Form, Post Traumatic Cognition Scale, Traumatic Stress Symptom Scale and Post Traumatic Growth Scale were used as data collection tools. According to the data obtained from the study, there was a high and positive statistically significant relationship between traumatic stress symptoms and post-traumatic cognition (r=0.76, p<0.01). There is a statistically significant positive correlation between post-traumatic stress symptoms and negative cognitions about the self (r=0.71, p<0.01) and the world (r=0.59, p<0.01) and self-blame (r=0.58, p<0.01) sub-dimensions of post-traumatic cognitions. Traumatic stress symptoms did not show a statistically significant difference in the direct exposure to fire (p>0.05), but re-experiencing, one of the sub-dimensions of traumatic stress symptoms, showed a significant difference as a direct exposure to fire (p<0.05). According to the results of the analysis, it was determined that re-experiencing, one of the sub-dimensions of the traumatic stress symptom scale, showed a statistically significant difference as the levels of fear experienced by the participants during evacuation and fire (p<0.05). It was determined that the levels of change in the post-traumatic growth, self-perception, understanding of the value of life and belief system of the evacuated individuals were higher than those of the individuals who were not exposed to the fire. While it was found that posttraumatic cognitions and posttraumatic growth did not differ as gender; It was determined that arousal and reactivity, which are sub-dimensions of the traumatic stress symptom scale, showed a significantly higher difference in female participants (p<0.05). According to the findings of the study, there is statistically positive relationship between traumatic stress symptoms and post-traumatic cognitions. It was found that direct exposure to fire, fear experienced during the fire and evacuation differed significantly in the re-experiencing sub-dimension compared to the group not exposed to the fire.