Psychological Resilience Among University Students Exposed To Earthquake Fear Mediated By Emotion Regulation Difficulty And Grit

Earthquake-related fear can play a significant role in shaping individuals’ psychological functioning, particularly in contexts frequently exposed to natural disasters. The present study investigated the effect of Earthquake Fear on Psychological Resilience, focusing on the serial mediating roles of Emotion Regulation Difficulty and Grit. Data were collected through an online survey (Google Forms) using a convenience sampling method selected for accessibility and practicality. Participants were informed of their voluntary participation and their right to withdraw at any time. The final sample consisted of 363 volunteer university students from various universities in Türkiye who experienced the earthquakes that occurred in 2023 in Kahramanmaraş and Gaziantep. Structural equation modeling results demonstrated acceptable fit indices for both the measurement and structural models. Mediation analysis, conducted using Hayes’ PROCESS Macro Model 6 with 5,000 bootstrap samples, revealed that Emotion Regulation Difficult and grit jointly mediated the relationship between Earthquake Fear and Psychological Resilience. Specifically, higher levels of earthquake fear predicted greater emotion regulation difficulties, which subsequently reduced grit, ultimately diminishing psychological resilience. All direct and indirect pathways were statistically significant, providing support for the hypothesized serial mediation model. These findings underscore the importance of targeting emotion regulation processes and strengthening grit in psychological interventions designed for individuals affected by disaster-related anxiety. The study adds to the growing body of literature emphasizing resilience-building mechanisms in populations facing environmental stressors.