Effect of individual earthquake resilience on earthquake anxiety and quality of life

Earthquakes are among the most destructive natural disasters Turkey has faced, threatening the physical, social, and psychological integrity of individuals with their increasing frequency. This necessitates the evaluation of individual psychological resilience as a crucial element in post-disaster recovery processes. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of individual earthquake resilience on earthquake anxiety and quality of life of individuals affected by the February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. This study, conducted with a quantitative and correlational design, collected data via surveys from 548 individuals aged 18 and over from 11 provinces affected by the earthquakes. Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS programs, and descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used in the analysis. Data collection tools were the Individual Disaster Resilience Scale, Disaster Anxiety Scale, and Quality of Life Scale, adapted for earthquake use. Analysis results indicate that coping with experience increases earthquake anxiety, while other coping strategies reduce it. While shared coping significantly increased quality of life, other sub-dimensions negatively impacted quality of life. Furthermore, earthquake anxiety was found to have a significant and positive impact on quality of life. The findings of the study contribute to the restructuring of post-disaster psychosocial intervention programs based on individual resilience factors and to increasing individual resilience capacity in disaster management.