Personality traits and anxiety in women who underwent amputation after an earthquake and their relationship with social competence and quality of life

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of personality traits and anxiety levels on social competence and quality of life in women who underwent amputation after the earthquake. This cross-sectional correlational study investigated associations between personality traits, anxiety, social competence, and quality of life among 68 women with earthquake-related amputations following the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye. We selected statistical analyses according to the distributional characteristics of the data, using independent- and dependent-samples t tests, the Mann-Whitney U test, the Pearson chi-square test (χ 2), and Pearson or Spearman correlation analyses, as appropriate. The study showed that openness to experience and conscientiousness were positively correlated with physical quality of life, while agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience were positively correlated with social competence. In contrast, anxiety showed a significant negative correlation with both physical quality of life and social competence. These findings suggest that clinical monitoring of women who have experienced amputation after the earthquake should focus not only on physical recovery but also on the early diagnosis of anxiety, systematic assessment of psychosocial needs, and strengthening multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs that support social functioning. In particular, developing holistic care approaches that focus on reducing anxiety, enhancing social competence, and considering individual personality traits is of practical and clinical importance for improving quality of life and supporting long-term adaptation.