Turkish adaptation of the abbreviated place attachment scale (APAS) and its relationship with well-being after earthquakes

Two separate studies were conducted in this research article. In the first study, in order to increase the number and diversity of place attachment scales in Turkey, the statistical validity and reliability of the Abbreviated Place Attachment Scale (APAS) was tested for its suitability to Turkish culture. To this end, the psychometric properties of the scale were examined, and item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted. Furthermore, Cronbach’s alpha was calculated to test the scale’s internal consistency and examined its construct and convergent validity. In the second study, the relationship between the levels of place attachment and well-being of individuals who experienced the February 6, 2023 earthquake was examined. The hypothesis was put forward that an increase in place attachment among earthquake survivors would positively impact well-being, and this hypothesis was tested using simple linear regression analysis. This study was conducted with 294 earthquake survivors. As a result of the study, the hypothesis was confirmed and it was found that place attachment had a positive and highly significant effect on well-being, but the explained variance indicating the magnitude of this effect was quite limited. These findings suggest that strengthening place attachment may be a valuable component of post-disaster mental health interventions and urban redevelopment strategies aimed at supporting the psychological well-being of disaster survivors.