The effect of uncertainties created by the February 6 earthquakes on post-traumatic stress: Reducing stress through coping strategies

Two consecutive devastating earthquakes occurred in Turkey on February 6. While some studies have examined the long-term traumatic effects of devastating earthquakes on victims, no study to date has examined the consequences on adults who have migrated from the earthquake area. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the traumatic consequences of the earthquake among migrants in relation to sociodemographic factors. Additionally, the mediating effects of earthquake stress coping strategies on the links between intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were also determined. 1877 individuals participated in this study (Mage = 23.86; SD = 6.35). The findings revealed that approximately 2/3 of the adults had PTSD symptoms. The results show that there are significant relations between IU, coping with earthquake stress, and PTSD symptoms. In addition, the relations between IU and PTSD symptoms was mediated by coping strategies. Previous studies have mainly focused on the mental health of individuals living in earthquake zones. However, mental health service providers in different areas in Turkey should focus more on interventions that contribute to reducing the stress experienced by migrants from earthquake zones.