Psychological Impact of the February 6th Earthquake in Turkey: A Study on PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety

The study aimed to examine the psychological effects of the earthquake. Seven hundred and forty earthquake survivors who experienced the February 6, 2023, earthquake was examined for relationships between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, involuntary thoughts, and avoidance behaviors. The study utilized a sociodemographic information form, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PTSD-5), the Impact of Events Scale (IES), the Beck Anxiety Scale (BAS), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The data were analyzed using the SPSS 25.0 software, and the presence of extreme data and normality distribution was checked before analysis. Results showed a positive correlation between the level of PTSD and the impact of the events, depression, and anxiety levels among earthquake survivors. While a positive relationship was found between the effects of events and depression, no significant relationship was observed with anxiety levels. A positive relationship was also found between depression and anxiety levels. According to the regression analysis, the impact of events, depression, and anxiety variables positively predicted the level of PTSD, with a total variance of 37%. Our findings highlight the importance of classifying earthquake survivors through psychiatric and psychosocial assessments to improve psychological intervention programs and support for future disasters.