Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Current Psychology, 2025 (SSCI)
In this descriptive and correlational study, it was aimed to examine the effect of fear of death, hopelessness, and meaning of life on the level of PTSD in individuals rescued from the rubble of the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake. This study was conducted between March and September 2024 with 575 adults selected through the snowball sampling method. The data were collected face-to-face by using Personal Information Form, DSM-5 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, Death Anxiety Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, and Meaning in Life Scale. In this study, it was found that women, primary school education, those who are single, unemployed, those who perceive their income level as low, those whose houses were destroyed in the earthquake, and those who lost a relative in the earthquake had higher mean PTSD scores compared to others (p < 0.05). These variables were found to have a large effect on PTSD levels (Cohen’s d = 2.08–4.17; η²=0.11, η²=0.20). A positive relationship was found between PTSD, age, fear of death, and hopelessness, and a negative relationship with meaning in life. It was found that the individuals’ sociodemographic characteristics (β = 0.148–0.418), fear of death (β = 0.866), hopelessness (β = 0.305) and levels of finding meaning in life (β = 0.278) explained 81.9% of the change in PTSD. As a result, it was found that the individuals’ age, gender, education level, marital status, perceived income status, house destruction status, loss of a relative, the levels of fear of death, hopelessness, and meaning in life were identified as significant determinants of PTSD. In this context, considering these factors after traumatic events like earthquakes may help reduce their impact, develop individualized interventions, and enhance psychological recovery.