Exploring the mediating role of post-traumatic cognitions and rumination between event centrality and post-traumatic growth and depreciation among university students from earthquake-affected cities

This thesis study attempted to examine the psychological effects of earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş (February 6th) on university students pursuing their education in earthquake affected cities and explore the variables that function as a mediator between the effects of earthquakes and potential psychological consequences. In this regard, the relationship between the centrality of events and posttraumatic growth and posttraumatic depreciation, was researched while controlling the objective earthquake experience. Moreover, the hypothesized mediating roles of posttraumatic cognitions and rumination types in this relationship have been evaluated and tested. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to reach the sample, and 200 participants were included in the study. The variables that predicted the dependent variables were identified using the hierarchical regression analysis. Then, mediation analysis was used to examine at the potential variables' mediating roles. In turn, the finding that the association between the centrality of the earthquake and posttraumatic growth was partially mediated by deliberate rumination emphasizes how crucial it is to assist students in creating meaning after traumatic experiences. Furthermore, posttraumatic cognitions mediated the association between event centrality and PTD; intrusive rumination had no mediating effect. On the basis of sources identified in the literature, all of these findings were discussed.