Psychol Trauma. 2025 Oct 27. doi: 10.1037/tra0002066. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Guided by the conservation of resources theory-which posits that individuals strive to acquire, protect, and maintain valuable resources, and that the loss of these resources increases vulnerability to psychological distress-this study aimed to investigate the relationships among earthquake exposure (resource loss), social support and positive religious coping (resource gains), posttraumatic growth (secondary resource gain buffering against loss), and depression (a key outcome of resource loss) among individuals who survived the 2023 earthquake in Turkey.
METHOD: A descriptive correlational design was employed in the study. The research was conducted in the Kırıkhan district and its surrounding villages, which were severely affected areas in Hatay province-a city that suffered significant damage after the 2023 earthquake in Turkey. One hundred forty individuals participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 32.52 years. Participants completed a questionnaire set composed of the sociodemographic characteristics, the Traumatic Exposure Severity Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Posttraumatic Growth Scale, the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, and Positive Religious Coping Scale Data are analyzed by using structural equation modeling.
RESULTS: The structural equation model also exhibits a good fit, χ²(5) = 10.136, χ²/df = 2.027, p < .071, RMSEA = 0.086, CFI = 0.983, and GFI = 0.977. The severity of exposure to the earthquake (β = -0.05, p = .025), social support (β = -0.07, p = .009), and positive religious coping (β = -0.11, p < .001) had indirect effects on depression. At the same time, positive religious coping had a significant indirect effects on posttraumatic growth (β = 0.10, p < .001). A sequential indirect analysis revealed that Positive Religious Coping Scale was indirectly associated with Beck Depression Inventory through Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale and Posttraumatic Growth (β = -0.050, p = .003).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the importance of resource dynamics in postdisaster mental health. Resource losses (e.g., high earthquake exposure) lead to more depressive symptoms, while resource gains (e.g., social support, religious coping, and posttraumatic growth) play a protective role. Within the conservation of resources framework, interventions aimed at preventing further resource depletion and promoting access to new resources may help reduce depression and improve psychological adaptation after disasters. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).
PMID:41143812 | DOI:10.1037/tra0002066
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