Resource loss and post traumatic stress in wildfires: Exploratory qualitative study and explanatory model with moderator roles of solastalgia and coping self-efficacy

Wildfires are increasingly becoming a significant agenda item each year due to the impacts of climate change. Although numerous studies have examined the psychological effects of wildfires in various countries, there is a dearth of data concerning their impact in the context of Turkey, which has experienced several large scale wildfires in recent years. This study aims to enhance our understanding of the psychosocial effects of these wildfires specifically on adolescents and young adults in Turkey. To achieve this objective, a fully mixed equal status sequential design was employed. In other words, qualitative and quantitative studies were conducted sequentially, and their results were integrated. In the initial phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a focus group of young individuals (ages 15-23) affected by wildfires in Bodrum. The interviews aimed to deeply understand the unique experiences of the participants, facilitated by open-ended questions that encouraged them to express themselves fully. The qualitative data were first transcribed and then subjected to reflective thematic analysis. The results revealed several themes: (i) the reflection of the effects of vii wildfires on daily life, (ii) resource losses caused by wildfires, (iii) negative emotional experiences induced by wildfires, (iv) strategies for coping with the effects of wildfires, and (v) the atmosphere of insecurity created by wildfires. The findings from the first phase served as the foundation for the models developed in the second phase. Explanatory models were constructed based on the identified themes and existing literature. These models investigated the moderating roles of solastalgia and coping self-efficacy in the relationship between resource loss and post-traumatic stress. The results indicated that the moderating role of solastalgia and overall coping self-efficacy was not significant. However, the subscales of coping self-efficacy were tested in separate models due to differing effects on traumatic stress (Studley & Cheung-Chung, 2015). Notably, problem-focused coping self-efficacy demonstrated a significant moderating function. The interaction between resource loss and high-level problem-focused coping self-efficacy was significantly associated with increased post-traumatic stress. Our findings suggest that, in the aftermath of wildfires, difficulties in resource recovery and an intense focus on problem-solving—especially when problems are pervasive and largely insoluble—may exacerbate post-traumatic stress. The study's findings were discussed within the context of existing literature, followed by a discussion on the potential clinical implications of the results. Finally, the study's limitations and suggestions for future research were outlined.