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

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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. Earthquake fear psychological resilience emotion regulation difficulty grit serial mediation Figures Figure 1 Introduction Türkiye is an earthquake-prone region, and on February 6, 2023, two major earthquakes occurred in Türkiye, affecting 14 million people. According to the announcement made by the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Türkiye, 4,323 aftershocks were recorded following these earthquakes, with 53,537 fatalities and 107,213 injuries (Aral & Tunç, 2021; Subawa et al., 2024). These two devastating earthquakes, centered in Kahramanmaraş and Gaziantep and commonly referred to by the public as the “disaster of the century,” left behind fear as the most prominent emotion among survivors (Demirtaş et al., 2024; Sarp, 2023). This intense fear experienced after the earthquake may hinder individuals’ ability to recognize their other emotions and to maintain emotional balance, in other words, may lead to difficulties in emotion regulation. Such difficulties in regulating emotions can negatively affect individuals’ determination to stay focused on their life goals, causing frequent changes in their goals and ultimately reducing their psychological resilience—defined briefly as the ability to return to a healthy psychological state following adverse life events. Given that university students are in a developmental period characterized by significant academic, social, and personal transitions—and thus may be particularly sensitive to the psychological consequences of large-scale traumatic events—examining these mechanisms in this population is especially important for understanding their post-disaster adjustment and for designing effective intervention programs. Earthquake Fear and Emotion Regulation Difficulties Natural disasters are events that cause serious adverse consequences on people's lives, their loved ones, and the properties they own (Shaluf, 2007). At the same time, these events also lead to safety and health problems for the public (Galambos, 2005). Disasters can be conceptualized in five stages: the non-disaster stage, the pre-disaster stage, the impact stage, the emergency stage, and the reconstruction stage (Noji, 1997). As a result of natural disasters, individuals’ normal flow of life is disrupted due to the circumstances they are exposed to because of the disaster (Raccanello et al., 2023). One of the natural disasters that can be encountered in life is the earthquake. An earthquake is a natural event that can deeply affect individuals who experience it directly and those who are indirectly exposed to it through media such as mass media, causing serious problems in mental health and ultimately trauma (Fergusson & Boden, 2014; Hopwood & Schutte, 2017). Research indicates that individuals who experience earthquakes exhibit depression, anxiety (Prizmić-Larsen et al., 2023), sadness (Osborne & Sibley, 2013), stress (Lathabhavan & Lathabhavan, 2022), and a range of other negative emotions. At the same time, studies consistently show that the most intense emotion felt during and after an earthquake is fear (Frijters et al., 2021; Khachadourian et al., 2016; et al.). For instance, in a qualitative study conducted by Grimm et al. (2014), in-depth interviews were carried out with 125 survivors of natural disasters across various European countries. The findings revealed that participants reported fear and panic as the emotions they experienced most intensely following the disaster. Similarly, in a study by Massazza et al. (2021) involving individuals who had experienced earthquakes, the majority of participants stated that the dominant emotion they felt during the earthquakes was fear. In this research, participants described the emotion of fear as an extremely intense feeling that overshadowed all other emotions and effectively “took over” their minds. Participants have reported that the emotion of fear also triggered catastrophic beliefs, such as the conviction that all their loved ones had died (Massazza et al., 2021). As evidenced by these studies, the experience of an earthquake leads to moderate or intense levels of fear in the aftermath, thereby adversely affecting individuals’ psychological well-being (Grimm et al., 2012; O’Toole, 2017). Emotions are defined as transient changes in an individual’s personal experiences, behaviors, and physiological responses that are triggered by internal or external stimuli (Kaufman et al., 2016). Emotions serve a critical function in ensuring survival (Kehoe & Havighurst, 2020). Emotion regulation is defined as a process that encompasses which emotions an individual experience, when they experience these emotions, how they experience and express them, and the ability to maintain, increase, or decrease the intensity of an emotion in accordance with goals (Gross & Thompson, 2007; Zhou et al., 2025). The effectiveness of emotion regulation depends on the selection of appropriate emotions and the flexibility exhibited while experiencing them (Victor & Klonsky, 2016). Emotion regulation is a multifaceted construct comprising the following dimensions (Gratz & Roemer, 2004): (a) awareness and consistency of emotions, (b) understanding and acceptance of emotions, (c) the ability to control impulsive behaviors and engage in goal-directed behavior when experiencing negative emotions, (d) the flexible and situationally appropriate use of emotion regulation strategies, and (e) the ability to modulate emotional responses in order to pursue personal goals. The absence of any one or more of these dimensions indicates difficulties in emotion regulation (Gratz & Roemer, 2004). Although emotion regulation skills generally develop with age (Orgeta, 2009), difficulties in emotion regulation can emerge across different life stages (Kaufman et al., 2016). Individuals commonly report that, following an earthquake, they employ various defense mechanisms—such as suspending, postponing, freezing, or ignoring their own emotions—in order to appear calm to others and to soothe their loved ones and themselves (Massazza et al., 2021). This emotional numbing may contribute to the emergence of emotion regulation difficulties in the post-earthquake period. In light of the relevant literature and empirical findings, the first hypothesis of the study (H1) was formulated as follows: H1. Earthquake fear is expected to positively predict emotion regulation difficulties. Emotion Regulation Difficulty and Grit Another concept thought to be related to emotion regulation difficulty is grit. Grit is defined as setting long-term goals and focusing on these goals with an intrinsic desire and discipline (Duckworth & Gross, 2014). The concept of grit consists of two components (Duckworth et al., 2013): perseverance of effort, which is the individual's persistence in effort despite difficulties, and consistency of interests, where the individual does not frequently change their area of interest and remains consistent in it. While emotion regulation difficulty is considered one of the risk factors for the development and maintenance of various symptoms of psychopathology (Monell et al., 2018), grit is evaluated in relation to various indicators of mental health, such as life satisfaction and psychological well-being (Disabato et al., 2019). Individuals with emotion regulation difficulties struggle to control their impulses and have trouble acting in line with their established goals when experiencing negative emotions (Gross, 1998). Conversely, gritty individuals do not easily shift their interests from one goal to another and rarely give up on their goals (Robertson-Kraft & Duckworth, 2014). Consequently, an increase in emotion regulation difficulty may lead to a decrease in grit. Based on the relevant literature, the second hypothesis of the study is formulated as follows: H 2: Emotion regulation difficulty is expected to negatively affect grit. Grit and Psychological Resilience In the literature on grit, one of the key variables consistently emphasized is psychological resilience. Psychological resilience is defined as the ability to maintain equilibrium when confronted with stressful events (Bonanno, 2004), to recover quickly from stress, and to adapt positively to new circumstances (Yu & Zhang, 2007). Individuals with low psychological resilience are more prone to experiencing negative emotions such as anxiety and anger when facing daily stressors (Maddi, 2012). Such individuals typically exhibit lower self-esteem and are more likely to adopt avoidant coping strategies by denying or evading stressful situations (Maddi et al., 2012). In contrast, individuals with high psychological resilience employ effective coping strategies when dealing with stress and are capable of learning meaningful lessons from adverse life experiences (Peterson & Seligman, 2004). Grit is also understood as the resilience required to pursue long-term goals despite all obstacles (Fruchart & Rulence-Pâques, 2025). Individuals with high levels of grit perceive the process of achieving their unchanging goals as a journey that demands resilience (Maddi et al., 2013). These individuals are able to recover quickly from setbacks encountered on the path to their goals and maintain their psychological well-being (Kuruveettissery et al., 2023). For instance, Kleiman et al. (2013) demonstrated in their study that grit has an indirect effect in reducing suicidal ideation. Building on these findings, it can be posited that individuals with higher grit possess greater psychological resilience. In light of the relevant literature and empirical evidence, the third hypothesis of the present study was formulated as follows: H3. Grit is expected to positively predict psychological resilience. Earthquake Fear, Psychological Resilience, Emotion Regulation Difficulties, and Grit Earthquakes are defined as collective traumatic natural disasters with the potential to profoundly affect society emotionally (McFarlane & Norris, 2006). The emotions most commonly experienced during and after an earthquake include negative feelings such as anxiety, stress, sadness, panic, worry, and insecurity; however, research indicates that the most frequently reported emotion is intense “fear” reaching the level of horror (e.g., Khachadourian et al., 2016; Prizmić-Larsen et al., 2023). Possessing high emotion regulation skills enables individuals to cope more effectively with traumas in life (Fergusson & Boden, 2014). On the other hand, it has been observed that some individuals fail to exhibit appropriate emotional responses to traumatic events such as earthquakes. The severity of the traumatic event and the intensity of negative emotions can prevent these individuals from maintaining their psychological integrity (Bonanno, 2004). In this condition, referred to as emotion regulation difficulty, individuals experience problems in focusing on and expressing their true emotions (Zhou et al., 2025). This emotional turmoil can negatively affect individuals’ ability to remain determined and consistent in their life goals, thereby impairing their overall resilience (Duckworth et al., 2013). Individuals with low grit tend to frequently change their life goals, whereas those with high grit rarely abandon their goals and maintain sustained interest and effort toward the same objective until completion (Fruchart & Rulence-Pâques, 2025). High grit enhances life satisfaction and well-being (Maddi, 2012), enabling individuals to adapt more quickly to new circumstances following adverse life events and, consequently, to recover more rapidly—in other words, it strengthens their psychological resilience. Therefore, it can be proposed that emotion regulation difficulties and grit sequentially mediate the effect of earthquake fear on psychological resilience. In this context, the current study aims to examine the sequential mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties and determination in the relationship between earthquake fear and psychological resilience, based on the relevant literature and research. In particular, fear of earthquakes is expected to increase difficulty in emotion regulation, which in turn negatively affects the sense of determination and consequently reduces psychological resilience (H4). H4. It is expected that emotion regulation difficulties and grit will have a sequential (serial) mediating role in the relationship between earthquake fear and psychological resilience. Present Study Previous research has demonstrated that earthquake fear reduces individuals’ psychological well-being, thereby adversely affecting their psychological resilience (e.g., Prizmić-Larsen et al., 2023). On the other hand, due to the intense emotional load it carries, earthquake fear can lead some individuals to lose control over recognizing and regulating their emotions, resulting in difficulties in emotion regulation (Khachadourian et al., 2016). Experiencing difficulties in emotion regulation may negatively affect individuals’ ability to focus on life goals, leading to frequent indecisiveness in their lives (Robertson-Kraft & Duckworth, 2014). Consequently, the inability to display consistency toward one’s goals and experiencing indecisiveness can lower overall life satisfaction, which in turn negatively impacts psychological resilience (Maddi, 2012). Building on these findings, the present study aims to examine the sequential mediating roles of difficulties in emotion regulation and grit in the relationship between earthquake fear and psychological resilience. METHOD This part of the paper has information about the participants, data collection tools and procedure, data analysis, and findings. Participants & Procedure Since they need rigorous time and effort selecting participants and data collection are tough processes. For the present paper, the researchers adopted the convenience sampling approach to collect data. The primary limitation for this approach might be the generalizability issues (Salvatore, 2023). However, it is popular among researchers owing to ease of access or less time constraints etc. In this paper, the reason behind adopting this approach is the chance of being able to access participants who experienced an earthquake among tertiary students. For this purpose, the researchers employed an online data collection tool, the Google Forms. The online form had a consent form and informed the participants that they could leave the research at any time. Since the form allowed no missing data, 363 volunteer tertiary students from different universities in the Marmara and The Central Anatolia Regions in Türkiye completed the form thoroughly. The respondents include 89 males (24.5%) and 274 females (75.5%), studying at various departments. The average age was 22.17 (SD: 4.42; range: 17-54). A substantial number of respondents study at faculty of theology and psychological counselling and guidance (f=204, 56.2%; f=70, 19.3%) respectively. Most of the participants state that they belong to middle income group (f=299; 82.4%) followed by lower income (f=53; 14.6%) and upper income groups (f=11; 3.0%). A large number of participants stated that their house was not damaged during the earthquake (f=315; 86.8%). However, there were some participants whose house was moderately damaged (f=41; 11.3%), and some whose house was severely damaged (f=7; 1.9%) and a few participants were trapped under the rubble (f=2; 0.6%). A great number of participants stayed in their house during an earthquake (f=318; 87.6%), followed by those moved to their relatives (f=11; 3.0%), another city (f=11; 3.0%), container/tent (f=8; 2.2%) or dormitory (f=6; 1.7%) respectively. Some participants did not experience an earthquake (f=6; 1.7&) and some did not state their place of residence (f=3; 0.8%). Ethical Issues The researchers followed the principles of the Helsinki Declaration and got ethical approval from Necmettin Erbakan University Scientific Research and Ethical Review Board (Meeting Number: 19; Decision Number: 2025/877). Measures Resilience Scale (R) The “Brief Resilience” scale was developed by Smith et al. (2008) and adapted into Turkish by Doğan (2015). The single factor Likert-type scale consists six items, three of which are reverse coded. The five-point scale has response options ranging from “Completely Suitable” to “Not Suitable at all”. Item total correlations for the scale range between 0.49-0.66, factor loads range between 0.63-0.79, and the total variance explained is 54.66%. The results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the model fit the data well (χ²=12.86, df=7, χ²/df=1.83, RMSEA=0.05, NFI=0.99, CFI=0.99, IFI=0.99, GFI=0.99, SRMR=0.03, AGFI=0.96, NNFI= 0.99). The reliability coefficient for the scale is 0.83. In brief, the findings indicate that the adapted scale is appropriate for the Turkish sample. Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DER) “The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation” scale was developed by Penner et al. (2022) and adapted into Turkish by Ekşi and Erik (2023). The five-point Likert-type scale, with no reverse coded items, consists of eight items, loaded on four factors called “goals, impulses, non-acceptance and strategies”. The response options range from “Almost Never” to “Almost Always”. The internal consistency scores for the factors range between 0.68-0.77, and the overall internal consistency is 0.87. Moreover, item-total correlations range between 0.52 and 0.70. Fit values [χ=42.713; sd= 14; RMSEA=0.075, NFI=0.96, CFI=0.97] indicate that the scale is a valid and reliable tool to study difficulties in emotion regulation. Earthquake Fear (EF) “The Earthquake Fear” scale was developed by Satıcı et al. (2023). The five-point Likert-type scale has response options ranging from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree” and has no reverse-coded items. The item-total correlations range between 0.60 and 0.73, and factor loads range between 0.64-0.79, and the scale explains 54.75% of the variance. The scale also has high-reliability coefficients (α=0.88; ω ranging between 0.88 and 0.89; λ6 ranging between 0.88 and 0.89). Fit values also [χ(14, N = 407) = 129.27, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.922, NFI = 0.914, IFI = 0.922, GFI = 0.900, SRMR = 0.053] indicate that the scale is a valid and reliable tool to study earthquake fear. Grit Scale (G) “The Grit” scale was developed by Duckworth and Quinn (2009) and adapted into Turkish by Akın et al. (2011). The Likert-type scale consisting of two factors called “consistency of interest” and “perseverance of effort” has eight items and four reverse coded items. It has response options ranging from “Totally Agree” to “Totally Disagree”. Item total correlations range between 0.31-0.46 and factor loads range between 0.58-0.74. Internal consistency values are 0.63 for consistency of interest, and 0.60 for perseverance of effort factors. Fit values (χ 2 =41.72; df=20; p=0.003; RMSEA= 0.059; IFI= 0.93; CFI=0.93; GFI= 0.97; AGFI= 0.94; SRMR= 0.061) also indicate that the adapted scale is appropriate for the Turkish sample. Data Analysis In data analysis a two-step approach consisting of testing the measurement model and the structural model was adopted (Anderson & Gerbing, 1988). The first step covers the confirmatory assessment, and the second step deals with the causal relations of the constructs. More specifically, the preliminary step includes descriptives, reliability issues and correlations while the second step includes testing the structural model. During the analysis of the structural model, 5000 bootstrapping technique was employed and the significance of the direct/indirect effects was evaluated considering confidence intervals (CI) (Hayes, 2017). In the analyses, the researchers, used mean scores and employed IBM SPSS Statistics 23 (IBM Corp., 2015) and IBM SPSS AMOS 23 (IBM Corp., 2015). Findings Preliminary Analysis The preliminary analysis reveals that “Resilience” (R) has a mean score of 3.02 (±0.71), “Difficulties in Emotion Regulation” (DER) has a mean score of 2.57 (±0.86), “Earthquake Fear” (EF) has a mean score of 2.95 (±0.95), and Grit (G) has a mean score of 3.17 (±0.68). The data has a normal distribution with skewness values ranging between -0.14 and 0.62 and kurtosis values ranging between -0.40 and 0.67 which are acceptable (George & Mallery, 2010; Kim, 2013; Curran & West, 1996). Cronbach’s alpha, showing the internal consistency of items, and ranging between 0-1 (Cronbach, 1951) was utilized to test reliability, and the outputs indicate that all the measures have acceptable values (Tavacol & Dennick, 2011). Table 1: Descriptives, Reliability & Correlations Descriptives & Reliability Correlations Variable Name M SD Sk K α 1 2 3 4 1.Earthquake Fear 2.95 0.95 -0.14 -0.40 0.90 - 2.Resilience 3.02 0.71 -0.03 0.67 0.81 -0.20* 3.Difficulties in Emotion Regulation 2.57 0.86 0.62 -0.02 0.90 0.15* -0.58* 4.Grit 3.17 0.68 0.19 0.74 0.82 -0.07 0.50 -0.44* - *Significant at 0.01 The Measurement Model The measurement model having the latent variables EF, R, DER, and G was tested utilizing IBM SPSS AMOS 23 (IBM Corp, 2015). The results showed that the measurement model had acceptable fit values [χ² (359, N = 363) = 795.028, p<.001; χ 2 /df =2.21; RMSEA=0.05; CFI=0.91; TLI=0.90; GFI=86]. Factor loads ranging between 0.61 and 0.83 for Earthquake Fear Scale; ranging between 0.35 and 0.85 for Resilience Scale; ranging between 0.62 and 0.80 for Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale; ranging between 0.44 and 0.72 for Grit Scale, indicate that the model has construct validity. The Structural Model Employing Hayes Process Macro Model 6 (Hayes, 2017) and 5000 bootstrap replications, the structural model was tested considering confidence intervals (CI), and β values. Taking the correlations among the variables into account, the authors hypothesized a partial mediation utilizing serial mediation which had direct paths between EF (IV) and R (DV); EF and DER (MV); DER and G (MV); G and R. They assume that “Earthquake Fear (EF)” has a direct effect on “Resilience” (R). Moreover “Difficulties in Emotion Regulation (DER) and Grit (G)” serially mediate the relationship between “EF” and “(R)”. The structural model was tested using IBM SPSS AMOS 23 (IBM Corp, 2015). The outputs revealed that fit indices for the serially mediated model had acceptable fit to the data [χ² (360, N =363) =807.757, p < .001; χ 2 /df =2.24; RMSEA =0.05; GFI=0.86; CFI=0.91; TLI =0.90; AGFI=0.84]. Completing the test for the structural model, the researchers proceeded with the mediation analysis which is utilized to test whether the effect of an independent variable on a dependent variable is, at least to some extent, explained by a chain of effects of the independent variable on an intervening mediator variable(s), and of the intervening variable(s) on the dependent variable (Fiedler, 2011; Preacher & Hayes, 2008). On the other side, the serial multiple mediation enables the simultaneous analysis of several pathways linking the antecedent variable to the consequent variable within a unified model (Quintana-Orts et al., 2020). In this paper, the researchers did the mediation analysis using the mean scores for the variables. The results revealed that the direct path from EF to R was statistically significant (β=-0.0821, SE=0.0306, 95% CI [-0.1422, -0.0219]) conforming a partially mediated model. Furthermore, the direct paths between EF to DER (β=0.1430, SE=0.0471, 95% CI [0.0504, 0.2356]), DER to G (β=-0.3469, SE=0.0379, 95% CI [-0.4214, -0.2724]), G to R (β=0.3243, SE=0.0470, 95% CI [0.2319, 0.4167]) were all significant. Table 2 below summarizes the mediation output. Table 2: The Serial Mediation Summary Total Effect EF->R Direct Effect EF->R Indirect Effects BootSE/SE CI Conclusion β β β LL UL -0.0821 0.0306 -0.1422 -0.0219 Complementary Partial Mediation EF->DER->G>R -0.0213 0.0086 -0.0397 -0.0053 Complementary Partial Mediation -0.1514 0.0390 -0.2280 -0.0748 Complementary Partial Mediation Fig. 1. below shows the path model. Discussion The results of this study provide valuable insights into the complex interplay among earthquake fear, emotion regulation difficulty, grit, and psychological resilience. Our findings indicate that higher levels of earthquake fear are associated with greater difficulties in regulating emotions, which in turn weaken individuals’ psychological resilience. This discussion evaluates the significance of these findings in light of existing literature and outlines their theoretical, practical, and future research implications. Consistent with our first hypothesis (H1), the results confirmed that earthquake fear had a significant negative effect on emotion regulation. These findings support the view that individuals experiencing heightened earthquake fear may struggle more with managing their emotional responses, which may subsequently undermine their resilience. The findings of this study support the notion that earthquake fear may have a negative impact on individuals’ emotion regulation abilities. Specifically, it was observed that individuals experiencing high levels of earthquake-related anxiety have greater difficulty managing negative emotions and generating adaptive responses to them. This result is consistent with previous studies indicating that trauma- or disaster-related fear can adversely affect emotional functioning (Gross, 2015 ). Experiencing anxiety about the possibility of an earthquake may deplete individuals’ cognitive and emotional resources, thereby hindering the effective use of emotion regulation strategies. Moreover, earthquake fear may intensify negative emotions, leading individuals to rely on maladaptive strategies such as avoidance or suppression. Particularly in the post-earthquake period, individuals who experience high levels of distress on emotion-regulation-related indicators appear more likely to display more frequent or severe post-traumatic stress symptoms. This finding is consistent with earlier research. For example, in a study conducted in the context of the 2023 Türkiye earthquakes, emotion regulation difficulty was found to play a mediating role in the relationship between negative automatic thoughts and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) symptoms (Çağlar, 2025 ). Another finding of the study was that emotion regulation difficulties negatively predicted grit (H2). Fear and anxiety experienced by students during natural disasters such as earthquakes can challenge their emotion regulation skills and affect their psychological resilience. Students who struggle with emotion regulation often have difficulty controlling their impulses and maintaining behaviors aligned with their goals when confronted with negative emotions (Gross, 1998 ). In contrast, gritty students demonstrate a stable commitment to their long-term goals and are less likely to deviate from their objectives or lose focus, even when faced with adverse conditions such as earthquake-related fear and stress, thereby maintaining their psychological resilience (Robertson-Kraft & Duckworth, 2014 ). The study conducted by Kalia, Knauft, and Smith ( 2022 ) showed that grit, defined as a passionate commitment to long-term goals, shapes emotion regulation and plays an important role in the habitual use of emotion regulation strategies. Furthermore, the study by Abdelshafy, Reiyad, Aldawsari, and Helali ( 2025 ) indicated that emotion regulation is significantly associated with grit and emerges as an important predictor of grit; these findings support previous research highlighting the meaningful link between these two constructs. Collectively, these findings suggest that grit and effective emotion regulation strategies serve as crucial mechanisms for students experiencing earthquake-related fear, strengthening psychological resilience and supporting adaptive coping with stress. The third hypothesis of the study posits that grit is expected to significantly enhance psychological resilience (H3). Fear and anxiety experienced by students during natural disasters such as earthquakes can substantially affect psychological resilience. Previous research has highlighted that personality traits can contribute to outcomes related to psychological resilience (Jin & Kim, 2017 ). Among these traits, grit—defined as the passionate and persistent pursuit of long-term goals—emerges as an important factor that can strengthen resilience when individuals face challenges caused by disasters. Resilient individuals typically display stronger adaptive responses to stressful and traumatic situations, and grit has been shown to have a strong association with trait-based psychological resilience. In the context of adverse events such as earthquakes, individuals with high levels of grit perceive the process of achieving their long-term goals as a journey requiring sustained resilience (Maddi et al., 2013 ). These individuals are able to recover more quickly from setbacks resulting from traumatic events and maintain their psychological well-being (Kuruveettissery et al., 2023 ). For instance, Kleiman et al. ( 2013 ) demonstrated that grit can indirectly reduce cognitive distortions, emphasizing its protective role in mental health. Moreover, De Lorenco-Lima, Rosario, and Gaines ( 2025 ) found significant positive relationships between psychological resilience and grit, reporting that individuals with higher resilience, grit, self-efficacy, self-control, and life satisfaction were more likely to exhibit lower levels of mental health disorders. Similarly, Hsieh, Chien, and Chang ( 2025 ) showed that flow has significant direct effects on both psychological resilience and grit, also serving as an important mediator in the relationship between trait mindfulness and grit, thereby enhancing grit levels. These findings suggest that grit and psychological resilience may serve as protective and adaptive mechanisms for students experiencing earthquake-related fear, strengthening their capacity to cope with stress and anxiety.. The fourth hypothesis of the study (H4) posits that emotion regulation difficulties and grit are expected to have a sequential (serial) mediating role in the relationship between earthquake fear and psychological resilience. In the study conducted by Okur, Satıcı, and Erdinç ( 2025 ), the longitudinal mediating role of resilience and psychological distress in the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and mental well-being was investigated in a Turkish adult sample. To overcome the limitations of cross-sectional studies, the data were examined at three-month intervals and at two time points using a half-longitudinal design with a cross-lagged panel model to explore the mediating role of resilience and psychological distress in the relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and mental well-being. The analyses indicated that resilience and psychological distress played a significant longitudinal mediating role in the relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and mental well-being. In a different study, Erol, Temur, Erol, and Dayan ( 2025 ) compared the levels of emotion regulation, intent attribution, and emotional and psychological well-being (PWB)—which encompasses positive functioning, life satisfaction, purpose in life, and personal growth—of children who lost their loved ones in the earthquakes that occurred in Türkiye on February 6, 2023, with those of children who were not directly affected by the earthquakes and who were non-bereaved. The results indicated that non-bereaved children had significantly higher levels of emotional and psychological well-being and emotion regulation compared to bereaved children. No significant differences were found between bereaved and non-bereaved children in terms of intent attribution. Furthermore, significant positive relationships between emotional and psychological well-being and emotion regulation were observed in non-bereaved children, while these relationships were at a lower level among bereaved children. Limitations and Future Research This study has several limitations that should be acknowledged. First, the use of a convenience sampling method and reliance on university students limit the generalizability of the findings to broader populations, including adults from diverse age groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and regions with varying levels of earthquake exposure. Future studies should employ more representative sampling strategies and include participants from different demographic and cultural contexts. Second, the cross-sectional design prevents causal inferences regarding the relationships among earthquake fear, emotion regulation difficulty, grit, and psychological resilience. Longitudinal or experimental designs are recommended to more clearly identify causal pathways and determine how these psychological processes evolve over time, particularly following disaster-related experiences. Third, all variables were assessed using self-report measures, which may be subject to social desirability and response biases. Future research could incorporate multi-method approaches, such as behavioral assessments, informant reports, or physiological indicators, to enhance measurement validity. Additionally, the study focused exclusively on emotion regulation difficulty and grit as mediators. Further research could explore alternative or complementary mediators, such as coping strategies, cognitive flexibility, social support, or trauma-related cognitions. Lastly, the sample consisted of individuals who had not necessarily experienced direct physical exposure to earthquakes. Future studies may benefit from comparing groups with varying levels of exposure (e.g., survivors vs. non-exposed individuals) to better understand the role of lived experience in shaping resilience-related processes. This study offers several theoretical and practical contributions while also presenting limitations that provide avenues for future research. Theoretically, the findings enhance our understanding of the mechanisms through which earthquake fear influences psychological resilience by identifying emotion regulation difficulty and grit as sequential mediators. Integrating emotional and motivational processes into a single explanatory model deepens the conceptualization of resilience in disaster-related contexts and expands existing theoretical frameworks by highlighting how maladaptive emotional responses and diminished perseverance jointly contribute to reduced resilience. This comprehensive model underscores the multifaceted nature of psychological adaptation to environmental stressors. From a practical perspective, the results hold significant implications for mental health interventions and disaster-preparedness programs. The demonstrated roles of emotion regulation difficulty and grit suggest that resilience can be strengthened through targeted psychological interventions. Programs focusing on emotion regulation skills—such as cognitive reappraisal training, mindfulness-based approaches, and distress tolerance techniques—may help individuals manage fear more adaptively. Likewise, initiatives aimed at fostering grit, including goal-setting exercises and perseverance-enhancing workshops, may contribute to developing more robust coping capacities among individuals exposed to earthquake-related anxiety. These insights may inform clinical practice, educational settings, and community-based disaster resilience initiatives in regions prone to natural hazards. Conclusion The present study examined the impact of earthquake fear on psychological resilience by exploring the serial mediating roles of emotion regulation difficulty and grit. The findings revealed that higher levels of earthquake fear were associated with greater difficulties in regulating emotions, which in turn reduced grit and ultimately weakened psychological resilience. These results support the proposed serial mediation model and highlight the intertwined roles of emotional and motivational processes in shaping individuals’ adaptive functioning in the face of disaster-related stress. Overall, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of how fear associated with natural hazards influences psychological outcomes. By identifying emotion regulation difficulty and grit as key mechanisms, the findings emphasize the importance of addressing both emotional and perseverance-related dimensions in efforts to strengthen resilience. In disaster-prone contexts, developing interventions that target these processes may help individuals cope more effectively with ongoing environmental threats. Declarations Ethical Approval: The study protocol has been approved by Necmettin Erbakan University Scientific Research and Ethical Review Board (Meeting Number: 19; Decision Number: 2025/877). The study was performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its following updates. İnformed Consent: Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their participation in the study. Participants were informed about the purpose of the study, the procedures involved, potential risks and benefits, and their right to withdraw at any time without penalty. Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest exists for any authors of this manuscript. Funding: The authors received no financial support for this article's research, authorship, and/or publication. Data Availability: Data will be available at a reasonable request. Pre-registration Statement: This study was not pre-registered. Supplemental Material: Supplemental material for this article is available online. Author contribution : All authors contributed equally to this study. References Abdelshafy, E. E., Reiyad, S. A., Aldawsari, H. K., & Helali, M. (2025). Examining the relationship between emotional regulation and academic grit among high-achieving university students. Educational Process: International Journal, 15 , e2025146. https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2025.15.146 Akın, A., Abacı, R., Arıcı, N., Uysal, R., & Uysal, Ç. K. (2011, Eylül). Revize Edilmiş Kararlılık Ölçeği’nin Kısa formunun Türkçe uyarlama çalışması. XX. Ulusal Eğitim Bilimleri Kurultayı, 8-10, Eylül, Burdur. 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Emotion regulation difficulties and disordered eating in adolescents and young adults: a meta-analysis. Journal of Eating Disorders , 13 (1), 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-025-01197-y Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 18 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 05 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 28 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Jan, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 13 Jan, 2026 Editor invited by journal 06 Jan, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 29 Dec, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 26 Dec, 2025 First submitted to journal 26 Dec, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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13:08:27","extension":"html","order_by":14,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":164129,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8336101/v1/f97e76d10aa286077808d79a.html"},{"id":100410170,"identity":"fae3f85a-beb5-48d8-9cad-1358335aa9df","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-16 13:07:57","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":92932,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThe Path Diagram\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8336101/v1/ffe624ff7f15a8d54c0c6ee6.png"},{"id":100415512,"identity":"350fdf15-b6d9-4986-9efd-af4306c3ab22","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-16 13:21:00","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":805866,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8336101/v1/1191f72f-5d9f-486a-9706-bba4d35bdce6.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Psychological Resilience Among University Students Exposed To Earthquake Fear Mediated By Emotion Regulation Difficulty And Grit","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eT\u0026uuml;rkiye is an earthquake-prone region, and on February 6, 2023, two major earthquakes occurred in T\u0026uuml;rkiye, affecting 14 million people. According to the announcement made by the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of T\u0026uuml;rkiye, 4,323 aftershocks were recorded following these earthquakes, with 53,537 fatalities and 107,213 injuries (Aral \u0026amp; Tun\u0026ccedil;, 2021; Subawa et al., 2024). These two devastating earthquakes, centered in Kahramanmaraş and Gaziantep and commonly referred to by the public as the \u0026ldquo;disaster of the century,\u0026rdquo; left behind fear as the most prominent emotion among survivors (Demirtaş et al., 2024; Sarp, 2023). This intense fear experienced after the earthquake may hinder individuals\u0026rsquo; ability to recognize their other emotions and to maintain emotional balance, in other words, may lead to difficulties in emotion regulation. Such difficulties in regulating emotions can negatively affect individuals\u0026rsquo; determination to stay focused on their life goals, causing frequent changes in their goals and ultimately reducing their psychological resilience\u0026mdash;defined briefly as the ability to return to a healthy psychological state following adverse life events. Given that university students are in a developmental period characterized by significant academic, social, and personal transitions\u0026mdash;and thus may be particularly sensitive to the psychological consequences of large-scale traumatic events\u0026mdash;examining these mechanisms in this population is especially important for understanding their post-disaster adjustment and for designing effective intervention programs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEarthquake Fear and Emotion Regulation Difficulties\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNatural disasters are events that cause serious adverse consequences on people\u0026apos;s lives, their loved ones, and the properties they own (Shaluf, 2007). At the same time, these events also lead to safety and health problems for the public (Galambos, 2005). Disasters can be conceptualized in five stages: the non-disaster stage, the pre-disaster stage, the impact stage, the emergency stage, and the reconstruction stage (Noji, 1997). As a result of natural disasters, individuals\u0026rsquo; normal flow of life is disrupted due to the circumstances they are exposed to because of the disaster (Raccanello et al., 2023). One of the natural disasters that can be encountered in life is the earthquake. An earthquake is a natural event that can deeply affect individuals who experience it directly and those who are indirectly exposed to it through media such as mass media, causing serious problems in mental health and ultimately trauma (Fergusson \u0026amp; Boden, 2014; Hopwood \u0026amp; Schutte, 2017). Research indicates that individuals who experience earthquakes exhibit depression, anxiety (Prizmić-Larsen et al., 2023), sadness (Osborne \u0026amp; Sibley, 2013), stress (Lathabhavan \u0026amp; Lathabhavan, 2022), and a range of other negative emotions. At the same time, studies consistently show that the most intense emotion felt during and after an earthquake is fear (Frijters et al., 2021; Khachadourian et al., 2016; et al.). For instance, in a qualitative study conducted by Grimm et al. (2014), in-depth interviews were carried out with 125 survivors of natural disasters across various European countries. The findings revealed that participants reported fear and panic as the emotions they experienced most intensely following the disaster. Similarly, in a study by Massazza et al. (2021) involving individuals who had experienced earthquakes, the majority of participants stated that the dominant emotion they felt during the earthquakes was fear. In this research, participants described the emotion of fear as an extremely intense feeling that overshadowed all other emotions and effectively \u0026ldquo;took over\u0026rdquo; their minds. Participants have reported that the emotion of fear also triggered catastrophic beliefs, such as the conviction that all their loved ones had died (Massazza et al., 2021). As evidenced by these studies, the experience of an earthquake leads to moderate or intense levels of fear in the aftermath, thereby adversely affecting individuals\u0026rsquo; psychological well-being (Grimm et al., 2012; O\u0026rsquo;Toole, 2017). Emotions are defined as transient changes in an individual\u0026rsquo;s personal experiences, behaviors, and physiological responses that are triggered by internal or external stimuli (Kaufman et al., 2016). Emotions serve a critical function in ensuring survival (Kehoe \u0026amp; Havighurst, 2020). Emotion regulation is defined as a process that encompasses which emotions an individual experience, when they experience these emotions, how they experience and express them, and the ability to maintain, increase, or decrease the intensity of an emotion in accordance with goals (Gross \u0026amp; Thompson, 2007; Zhou et al., 2025). The effectiveness of emotion regulation depends on the selection of appropriate emotions and the flexibility exhibited while experiencing them (Victor \u0026amp; Klonsky, 2016). Emotion regulation is a multifaceted construct comprising the following dimensions (Gratz \u0026amp; Roemer, 2004): (a) awareness and consistency of emotions, (b) understanding and acceptance of emotions, (c) the ability to control impulsive behaviors and engage in goal-directed behavior when experiencing negative emotions, (d) the flexible and situationally appropriate use of emotion regulation strategies, and (e) the ability to modulate emotional responses in order to pursue personal goals. The absence of any one or more of these dimensions indicates difficulties in emotion regulation (Gratz \u0026amp; Roemer, 2004). Although emotion regulation skills generally develop with age (Orgeta, 2009), difficulties in emotion regulation can emerge across different life stages (Kaufman et al., 2016). Individuals commonly report that, following an earthquake, they employ various defense mechanisms\u0026mdash;such as suspending, postponing, freezing, or ignoring their own emotions\u0026mdash;in order to appear calm to others and to soothe their loved ones and themselves (Massazza et al., 2021). This emotional numbing may contribute to the emergence of emotion regulation difficulties in the post-earthquake period. In light of the relevant literature and empirical findings, the first hypothesis of the study (H1) was formulated as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eH1. Earthquake fear is expected to positively predict emotion regulation difficulties.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEmotion Regulation Difficulty and Grit\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother concept thought to be related to emotion regulation difficulty is grit. Grit is defined as setting long-term goals and focusing on these goals with an intrinsic desire and discipline (Duckworth \u0026amp; Gross, 2014). The concept of grit consists of two components (Duckworth et al., 2013): perseverance of effort, which is the individual\u0026apos;s persistence in effort despite difficulties, and consistency of interests, where the individual does not frequently change their area of interest and remains consistent in it. While emotion regulation difficulty is considered one of the risk factors for the development and maintenance of various symptoms of psychopathology (Monell et al., 2018), grit is evaluated in relation to various indicators of mental health, such as life satisfaction and psychological well-being (Disabato et al., 2019). Individuals with emotion regulation difficulties struggle to control their impulses and have trouble acting in line with their established goals when experiencing negative emotions (Gross, 1998). Conversely, gritty individuals do not easily shift their interests from one goal to another and rarely give up on their goals (Robertson-Kraft \u0026amp; Duckworth, 2014). Consequently, an increase in emotion regulation difficulty may lead to a decrease in grit. Based on the relevant literature, the second hypothesis of the study is formulated as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eH 2: Emotion regulation difficulty is expected to negatively affect grit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrit and Psychological Resilience\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the literature on grit, one of the key variables consistently emphasized is psychological resilience. Psychological resilience is defined as the ability to maintain equilibrium when confronted with stressful events (Bonanno, 2004), to recover quickly from stress, and to adapt positively to new circumstances (Yu \u0026amp; Zhang, 2007). Individuals with low psychological resilience are more prone to experiencing negative emotions such as anxiety and anger when facing daily stressors (Maddi, 2012). Such individuals typically exhibit lower self-esteem and are more likely to adopt avoidant coping strategies by denying or evading stressful situations (Maddi et al., 2012). In contrast, individuals with high psychological resilience employ effective coping strategies when dealing with stress and are capable of learning meaningful lessons from adverse life experiences (Peterson \u0026amp; Seligman, 2004). Grit is also understood as the resilience required to pursue long-term goals despite all obstacles (Fruchart \u0026amp; Rulence-P\u0026acirc;ques, 2025). Individuals with high levels of grit perceive the process of achieving their unchanging goals as a journey that demands resilience (Maddi et al., 2013). These individuals are able to recover quickly from setbacks encountered on the path to their goals and maintain their psychological well-being (Kuruveettissery et al., 2023). For instance, Kleiman et al. (2013) demonstrated in their study that grit has an indirect effect in reducing suicidal ideation. Building on these findings, it can be posited that individuals with higher grit possess greater psychological resilience. In light of the relevant literature and empirical evidence, the third hypothesis of the present study was formulated as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eH3. Grit is expected to positively predict psychological resilience.\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEarthquake Fear, Psychological Resilience, Emotion Regulation Difficulties, and Grit\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEarthquakes are defined as collective traumatic natural disasters with the potential to profoundly affect society emotionally (McFarlane \u0026amp; Norris, 2006). The emotions most commonly experienced during and after an earthquake include negative feelings such as anxiety, stress, sadness, panic, worry, and insecurity; however, research indicates that the most frequently reported emotion is intense \u0026ldquo;fear\u0026rdquo; reaching the level of horror (e.g., Khachadourian et al., 2016; Prizmić-Larsen et al., 2023). Possessing high emotion regulation skills enables individuals to cope more effectively with traumas in life (Fergusson \u0026amp; Boden, 2014). On the other hand, it has been observed that some individuals fail to exhibit appropriate emotional responses to traumatic events such as earthquakes. The severity of the traumatic event and the intensity of negative emotions can prevent these individuals from maintaining their psychological integrity (Bonanno, 2004). In this condition, referred to as emotion regulation difficulty, individuals experience problems in focusing on and expressing their true emotions (Zhou et al., 2025). This emotional turmoil can negatively affect individuals\u0026rsquo; ability to remain determined and consistent in their life goals, thereby impairing their overall resilience (Duckworth et al., 2013). Individuals with low grit tend to frequently change their life goals, whereas those with high grit rarely abandon their goals and maintain sustained interest and effort toward the same objective until completion (Fruchart \u0026amp; Rulence-P\u0026acirc;ques, 2025). High grit enhances life satisfaction and well-being (Maddi, 2012), enabling individuals to adapt more quickly to new circumstances following adverse life events and, consequently, to recover more rapidly\u0026mdash;in other words, it strengthens their psychological resilience. Therefore, it can be proposed that emotion regulation difficulties and grit sequentially mediate the effect of earthquake fear on psychological resilience. In this context, the current study aims to examine the sequential mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties and determination in the relationship between earthquake fear and psychological resilience, based on the relevant literature and research. In particular, fear of earthquakes is expected to increase difficulty in emotion regulation, which in turn negatively affects the sense of determination and consequently reduces psychological resilience (H4).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eH4. It is expected that emotion regulation difficulties and grit will have a sequential (serial) mediating role in the relationship between earthquake fear and psychological resilience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePresent Study\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrevious research has demonstrated that earthquake fear reduces individuals\u0026rsquo; psychological well-being, thereby adversely affecting their psychological resilience (e.g., Prizmić-Larsen et al., 2023). On the other hand, due to the intense emotional load it carries, earthquake fear can lead some individuals to lose control over recognizing and regulating their emotions, resulting in difficulties in emotion regulation (Khachadourian et al., 2016). Experiencing difficulties in emotion regulation may negatively affect individuals\u0026rsquo; ability to focus on life goals, leading to frequent indecisiveness in their lives (Robertson-Kraft \u0026amp; Duckworth, 2014). Consequently, the inability to display consistency toward one\u0026rsquo;s goals and experiencing indecisiveness can lower overall life satisfaction, which in turn negatively impacts psychological resilience (Maddi, 2012). Building on these findings, the present study aims to examine the sequential mediating roles of difficulties in emotion regulation and grit in the relationship between earthquake fear and psychological resilience.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"METHOD","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis part of the paper has information about the participants, data collection tools and procedure, data analysis, and findings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eParticipants \u0026amp; Procedure\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince they need rigorous time and effort selecting participants and data collection are tough processes. For the present paper, the researchers adopted the convenience sampling approach to collect data. The primary limitation for this approach might be the generalizability issues (Salvatore, 2023). However, it is popular among researchers owing to ease of access or less time constraints etc. In this paper, the reason behind adopting this approach is the chance of being able to access participants who experienced an earthquake among tertiary students. For this purpose, the researchers employed an online data collection tool, the Google Forms. The online form had a consent form and informed the participants that they could leave the research at any time. Since the form allowed no missing data, 363 volunteer tertiary students from different universities in the Marmara and The Central Anatolia Regions in Türkiye completed the form thoroughly. The respondents include 89 males (24.5%) and 274 females (75.5%), studying at various departments. The average age was 22.17 (SD: 4.42; range: 17-54). A substantial number of respondents study at faculty of theology and psychological counselling and guidance (f=204, 56.2%; f=70, 19.3%) respectively. Most of the participants state that they belong to middle income group (f=299; 82.4%) followed by lower income (f=53; 14.6%) and upper income groups (f=11; 3.0%). A large number of participants stated that their house was not damaged during the earthquake (f=315; 86.8%). However, there were some participants whose house was moderately damaged (f=41; 11.3%), and some whose house was severely damaged (f=7; 1.9%) and a few participants were trapped under the rubble (f=2; 0.6%). A great number of participants stayed in their house during an earthquake (f=318; 87.6%), followed by those moved to their relatives (f=11; 3.0%), another city (f=11; 3.0%), container/tent (f=8; 2.2%) or dormitory (f=6; 1.7%) respectively. Some participants did not experience an earthquake (f=6; 1.7\u0026amp;) and some did not state their place of residence (f=3; 0.8%).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cstrong\u003eEthical Issues\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe researchers followed the principles of the Helsinki Declaration and got ethical approval from Necmettin Erbakan University Scientific Research and Ethical Review Board (Meeting Number: 19; Decision Number: 2025/877).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeasures\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResilience Scale\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e(R)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe “Brief Resilience” scale was developed by Smith et al. (2008) and adapted into Turkish by Doğan (2015). The single factor Likert-type scale consists six items, three of which are reverse coded. The five-point scale has response options ranging from “Completely Suitable” to “Not Suitable at all”. Item total correlations for the scale range between 0.49-0.66, factor loads range between 0.63-0.79, and the total variance explained is 54.66%. The results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the model fit the data well (χ²=12.86, df=7, χ²/df=1.83, RMSEA=0.05, NFI=0.99, CFI=0.99, IFI=0.99, GFI=0.99, SRMR=0.03, AGFI=0.96, NNFI= 0.99). The reliability coefficient for the scale is 0.83. In brief, the findings indicate that the adapted scale is appropriate for the Turkish sample.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDifficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DER)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation” scale was developed by Penner et al. (2022) and adapted into Turkish by Ekşi and Erik (2023). The five-point Likert-type scale, with no reverse coded items, consists of eight items, loaded on four factors called “goals, impulses, non-acceptance and strategies”. The response options range from “Almost Never” to “Almost Always”. The internal consistency scores for the factors range between 0.68-0.77, and the overall internal consistency is 0.87. Moreover, item-total correlations range between 0.52 and 0.70. Fit values [χ=42.713; sd= 14; RMSEA=0.075, NFI=0.96, CFI=0.97] indicate that the scale is a valid and reliable tool to study difficulties in emotion regulation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEarthquake Fear\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e(EF)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The Earthquake Fear” scale was developed by Satıcı et al. (2023). The five-point Likert-type scale has response options ranging from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree” and has no reverse-coded items. The item-total correlations range between 0.60 and 0.73, and factor loads range between 0.64-0.79, and the scale explains 54.75% of the variance. The scale also has high-reliability coefficients (α=0.88; ω ranging between 0.88 and 0.89; λ6 ranging between 0.88 and 0.89). Fit values also [χ(14, N = 407) = 129.27, p \u0026lt; 0.001; CFI = 0.922, NFI = 0.914, IFI = 0.922, GFI = 0.900, SRMR = 0.053] indicate that the scale is a valid and reliable tool to study earthquake fear.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrit Scale (G)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The Grit” scale was developed by Duckworth and Quinn (2009) and adapted into Turkish by Akın et al. (2011). The Likert-type scale consisting of two factors called “consistency of interest” and “perseverance of effort” has eight items and four reverse coded items. It has response options ranging from “Totally Agree” to “Totally Disagree”. Item total correlations range between 0.31-0.46 and factor loads range between 0.58-0.74. Internal consistency values are 0.63 for consistency of interest, and 0.60 for perseverance of effort factors. Fit values (χ\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e=41.72; df=20; p=0.003; RMSEA= 0.059; IFI= 0.93; CFI=0.93; GFI= 0.97; AGFI= 0.94; SRMR= 0.061) also indicate that the adapted scale is appropriate for the Turkish sample.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn data analysis a two-step approach consisting of testing the measurement model and the structural model was adopted (Anderson \u0026amp; Gerbing, 1988). The first step covers the confirmatory assessment, and the second step deals with the causal relations of the constructs. More specifically, the preliminary step includes descriptives, reliability issues and correlations while the second step includes testing the structural model. During the analysis of the structural model, 5000 bootstrapping technique was employed and the significance of the direct/indirect effects was evaluated considering confidence intervals (CI) (Hayes, 2017). In the analyses, the researchers, used mean scores and employed IBM SPSS Statistics 23 (IBM Corp., 2015) and IBM SPSS AMOS 23 (IBM Corp., 2015).\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"},{"header":"Findings","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreliminary Analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe preliminary analysis reveals that “Resilience” (R) has a mean score of 3.02 (±0.71), “Difficulties in Emotion Regulation” (DER) has a mean score of 2.57 (±0.86), “Earthquake Fear” (EF) has a mean score of 2.95 (±0.95), and Grit (G) has a mean score of 3.17 (±0.68). The data has a normal distribution with skewness values ranging between -0.14 and 0.62 and kurtosis values ranging between -0.40 and 0.67 which are acceptable (George \u0026amp; Mallery, 2010; Kim, 2013; Curran \u0026amp; West, 1996). Cronbach’s alpha, showing the internal consistency of items, and ranging between 0-1 (Cronbach, 1951) was utilized to test reliability, and the outputs indicate that all the measures have acceptable values (Tavacol \u0026amp; Dennick, 2011).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable 1: Descriptives, Reliability \u0026amp; Correlations\u003c/p\u003e\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"589\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 158px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"5\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 237px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDescriptives \u0026amp; Reliability\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"4\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 194px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCorrelations\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 158px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVariable Name\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eM\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSD\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSk\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eK\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eα\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 54px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 54px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 55px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 158px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.Earthquake Fear\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.95\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.95\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.14\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.40\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.90\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 54px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 54px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 55px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 158px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.Resilience\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.02\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.71\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.03\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;0.67\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.81\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 54px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.20*\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 54px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 55px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 158px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.Difficulties in Emotion Regulation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.57\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.86\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;0.62\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.02\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.90\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 54px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;0.15*\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 54px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.58*\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 55px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 158px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.Grit\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.17\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.68\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;0.19\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;0.74\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 45px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.82\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 54px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.07\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 54px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;0.50\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 55px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.44*\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cp\u003e*Significant at 0.01\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Measurement Model\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe measurement model having the latent variables EF, R, DER, and G was tested utilizing IBM SPSS AMOS 23 (IBM Corp, 2015). \u0026nbsp; The results showed that the measurement model had acceptable fit values [χ² (359, N = 363) = 795.028, p\u0026lt;.001; χ\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e/df =2.21; RMSEA=0.05; CFI=0.91; TLI=0.90; GFI=86]. Factor loads ranging between 0.61 and 0.83 for Earthquake Fear Scale; ranging between 0.35 and 0.85 for Resilience Scale; ranging between 0.62 and 0.80 for Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale; ranging between 0.44 and 0.72 for Grit Scale, indicate that the model has construct validity.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Structural Model\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEmploying Hayes Process Macro Model 6 (Hayes, 2017) and 5000 bootstrap replications, the structural model was tested considering confidence intervals (CI), and β values. Taking the correlations among the variables into account, the authors hypothesized a partial mediation utilizing serial mediation which had direct paths between EF (IV) and R (DV); EF and DER (MV); DER and G (MV); G and R. \u0026nbsp;They assume that “Earthquake Fear (EF)” has a direct effect on “Resilience” (R). Moreover “Difficulties in Emotion Regulation (DER) and Grit (G)” serially mediate the relationship between “EF” and “(R)”.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe structural model was tested using IBM SPSS AMOS 23 (IBM Corp, 2015). The outputs revealed that fit indices for the serially mediated model had acceptable fit to the data [χ² (360, N =363) =807.757, p \u003cem\u003e\u0026lt;\u003c/em\u003e.001; χ\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e/df =2.24; RMSEA =0.05; GFI=0.86; CFI=0.91; TLI =0.90; AGFI=0.84]. Completing the test for the structural model, the researchers proceeded with the mediation analysis which is utilized to test whether the effect of an independent variable on a dependent variable is, at least to some extent, explained by a chain of effects of the independent variable on an intervening mediator variable(s), and of the intervening variable(s) on the dependent variable (Fiedler, 2011; Preacher \u0026amp; Hayes, 2008). On the other side, the serial multiple mediation enables the simultaneous analysis of several pathways linking the antecedent variable to the consequent variable within a unified model (Quintana-Orts et al., 2020). In this paper, the researchers did the mediation analysis using the mean scores for the variables. The results revealed that the direct path from EF to R was statistically significant (β=-0.0821, SE=0.0306, 95% CI [-0.1422, -0.0219]) conforming a partially mediated model. Furthermore, the direct paths between EF to DER (β=0.1430, SE=0.0471, 95% CI [0.0504, 0.2356]), DER to G (β=-0.3469, SE=0.0379, 95% CI [-0.4214, -0.2724]), G to R (β=0.3243, SE=0.0470, 95% CI [0.2319, 0.4167]) were all significant. Table 2 below summarizes the mediation output.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable 2: The Serial Mediation Summary\u003c/p\u003e\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"640\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 73px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal Effect EF-\u0026gt;R\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 76px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDirect Effect EF-\u0026gt;R\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 94px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIndirect Effects\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBootSE/SE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCI\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 161px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eConclusion\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 73px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eβ\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 76px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eβ\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 94px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eβ\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLL\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eUL\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 73px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 76px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.0821\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 94px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0306\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.1422\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.0219\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 161px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eComplementary Partial Mediation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 73px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 76px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 94px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEF-\u0026gt;DER-\u0026gt;G\u0026gt;R\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.0213\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0086\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.0397\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.0053\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 161px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eComplementary Partial Mediation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 73px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.1514\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 76px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 94px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0390\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.2280\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 57px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-0.0748\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 161px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eComplementary Partial Mediation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003cp\u003eFig. 1. below shows the path model.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe results of this study provide valuable insights into the complex interplay among earthquake fear, emotion regulation difficulty, grit, and psychological resilience. Our findings indicate that higher levels of earthquake fear are associated with greater difficulties in regulating emotions, which in turn weaken individuals\u0026rsquo; psychological resilience. This discussion evaluates the significance of these findings in light of existing literature and outlines their theoretical, practical, and future research implications. Consistent with our first hypothesis (H1), the results confirmed that earthquake fear had a significant negative effect on emotion regulation. These findings support the view that individuals experiencing heightened earthquake fear may struggle more with managing their emotional responses, which may subsequently undermine their resilience. The findings of this study support the notion that earthquake fear may have a negative impact on individuals\u0026rsquo; emotion regulation abilities. Specifically, it was observed that individuals experiencing high levels of earthquake-related anxiety have greater difficulty managing negative emotions and generating adaptive responses to them. This result is consistent with previous studies indicating that trauma- or disaster-related fear can adversely affect emotional functioning (Gross, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Experiencing anxiety about the possibility of an earthquake may deplete individuals\u0026rsquo; cognitive and emotional resources, thereby hindering the effective use of emotion regulation strategies. Moreover, earthquake fear may intensify negative emotions, leading individuals to rely on maladaptive strategies such as avoidance or suppression. Particularly in the post-earthquake period, individuals who experience high levels of distress on emotion-regulation-related indicators appear more likely to display more frequent or severe post-traumatic stress symptoms. This finding is consistent with earlier research. For example, in a study conducted in the context of the 2023 T\u0026uuml;rkiye earthquakes, emotion regulation difficulty was found to play a mediating role in the relationship between negative automatic thoughts and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) symptoms (\u0026Ccedil;ağlar, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnother finding of the study was that emotion regulation difficulties negatively predicted grit (H2). Fear and anxiety experienced by students during natural disasters such as earthquakes can challenge their emotion regulation skills and affect their psychological resilience. Students who struggle with emotion regulation often have difficulty controlling their impulses and maintaining behaviors aligned with their goals when confronted with negative emotions (Gross, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1998\u003c/span\u003e). In contrast, gritty students demonstrate a stable commitment to their long-term goals and are less likely to deviate from their objectives or lose focus, even when faced with adverse conditions such as earthquake-related fear and stress, thereby maintaining their psychological resilience (Robertson-Kraft \u0026amp; Duckworth, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). The study conducted by Kalia, Knauft, and Smith (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) showed that grit, defined as a passionate commitment to long-term goals, shapes emotion regulation and plays an important role in the habitual use of emotion regulation strategies. Furthermore, the study by Abdelshafy, Reiyad, Aldawsari, and Helali (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) indicated that emotion regulation is significantly associated with grit and emerges as an important predictor of grit; these findings support previous research highlighting the meaningful link between these two constructs. Collectively, these findings suggest that grit and effective emotion regulation strategies serve as crucial mechanisms for students experiencing earthquake-related fear, strengthening psychological resilience and supporting adaptive coping with stress.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe third hypothesis of the study posits that grit is expected to significantly enhance psychological resilience (H3). Fear and anxiety experienced by students during natural disasters such as earthquakes can substantially affect psychological resilience. Previous research has highlighted that personality traits can contribute to outcomes related to psychological resilience (Jin \u0026amp; Kim, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). Among these traits, grit\u0026mdash;defined as the passionate and persistent pursuit of long-term goals\u0026mdash;emerges as an important factor that can strengthen resilience when individuals face challenges caused by disasters. Resilient individuals typically display stronger adaptive responses to stressful and traumatic situations, and grit has been shown to have a strong association with trait-based psychological resilience. In the context of adverse events such as earthquakes, individuals with high levels of grit perceive the process of achieving their long-term goals as a journey requiring sustained resilience (Maddi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR61\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). These individuals are able to recover more quickly from setbacks resulting from traumatic events and maintain their psychological well-being (Kuruveettissery et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). For instance, Kleiman et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e) demonstrated that grit can indirectly reduce cognitive distortions, emphasizing its protective role in mental health. Moreover, De Lorenco-Lima, Rosario, and Gaines (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) found significant positive relationships between psychological resilience and grit, reporting that individuals with higher resilience, grit, self-efficacy, self-control, and life satisfaction were more likely to exhibit lower levels of mental health disorders. Similarly, Hsieh, Chien, and Chang (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) showed that flow has significant direct effects on both psychological resilience and grit, also serving as an important mediator in the relationship between trait mindfulness and grit, thereby enhancing grit levels. These findings suggest that grit and psychological resilience may serve as protective and adaptive mechanisms for students experiencing earthquake-related fear, strengthening their capacity to cope with stress and anxiety..\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe fourth hypothesis of the study (H4) posits that emotion regulation difficulties and grit are expected to have a sequential (serial) mediating role in the relationship between earthquake fear and psychological resilience. In the study conducted by Okur, Satıcı, and Erdin\u0026ccedil; (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e), the longitudinal mediating role of resilience and psychological distress in the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and mental well-being was investigated in a Turkish adult sample. To overcome the limitations of cross-sectional studies, the data were examined at three-month intervals and at two time points using a half-longitudinal design with a cross-lagged panel model to explore the mediating role of resilience and psychological distress in the relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and mental well-being. The analyses indicated that resilience and psychological distress played a significant longitudinal mediating role in the relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and mental well-being. In a different study, Erol, Temur, Erol, and Dayan (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) compared the levels of emotion regulation, intent attribution, and emotional and psychological well-being (PWB)\u0026mdash;which encompasses positive functioning, life satisfaction, purpose in life, and personal growth\u0026mdash;of children who lost their loved ones in the earthquakes that occurred in T\u0026uuml;rkiye on February 6, 2023, with those of children who were not directly affected by the earthquakes and who were non-bereaved. The results indicated that non-bereaved children had significantly higher levels of emotional and psychological well-being and emotion regulation compared to bereaved children. No significant differences were found between bereaved and non-bereaved children in terms of intent attribution. Furthermore, significant positive relationships between emotional and psychological well-being and emotion regulation were observed in non-bereaved children, while these relationships were at a lower level among bereaved children.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec21\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eLimitations and Future Research\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study has several limitations that should be acknowledged. First, the use of a convenience sampling method and reliance on university students limit the generalizability of the findings to broader populations, including adults from diverse age groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and regions with varying levels of earthquake exposure. Future studies should employ more representative sampling strategies and include participants from different demographic and cultural contexts. Second, the cross-sectional design prevents causal inferences regarding the relationships among earthquake fear, emotion regulation difficulty, grit, and psychological resilience. Longitudinal or experimental designs are recommended to more clearly identify causal pathways and determine how these psychological processes evolve over time, particularly following disaster-related experiences. Third, all variables were assessed using self-report measures, which may be subject to social desirability and response biases. Future research could incorporate multi-method approaches, such as behavioral assessments, informant reports, or physiological indicators, to enhance measurement validity. Additionally, the study focused exclusively on emotion regulation difficulty and grit as mediators. Further research could explore alternative or complementary mediators, such as coping strategies, cognitive flexibility, social support, or trauma-related cognitions. Lastly, the sample consisted of individuals who had not necessarily experienced direct physical exposure to earthquakes. Future studies may benefit from comparing groups with varying levels of exposure (e.g., survivors vs. non-exposed individuals) to better understand the role of lived experience in shaping resilience-related processes. This study offers several theoretical and practical contributions while also presenting limitations that provide avenues for future research. Theoretically, the findings enhance our understanding of the mechanisms through which earthquake fear influences psychological resilience by identifying emotion regulation difficulty and grit as sequential mediators. Integrating emotional and motivational processes into a single explanatory model deepens the conceptualization of resilience in disaster-related contexts and expands existing theoretical frameworks by highlighting how maladaptive emotional responses and diminished perseverance jointly contribute to reduced resilience. This comprehensive model underscores the multifaceted nature of psychological adaptation to environmental stressors. From a practical perspective, the results hold significant implications for mental health interventions and disaster-preparedness programs. The demonstrated roles of emotion regulation difficulty and grit suggest that resilience can be strengthened through targeted psychological interventions. Programs focusing on emotion regulation skills\u0026mdash;such as cognitive reappraisal training, mindfulness-based approaches, and distress tolerance techniques\u0026mdash;may help individuals manage fear more adaptively. Likewise, initiatives aimed at fostering grit, including goal-setting exercises and perseverance-enhancing workshops, may contribute to developing more robust coping capacities among individuals exposed to earthquake-related anxiety. These insights may inform clinical practice, educational settings, and community-based disaster resilience initiatives in regions prone to natural hazards.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe present study examined the impact of earthquake fear on psychological resilience by exploring the serial mediating roles of emotion regulation difficulty and grit. The findings revealed that higher levels of earthquake fear were associated with greater difficulties in regulating emotions, which in turn reduced grit and ultimately weakened psychological resilience. These results support the proposed serial mediation model and highlight the intertwined roles of emotional and motivational processes in shaping individuals\u0026rsquo; adaptive functioning in the face of disaster-related stress. Overall, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of how fear associated with natural hazards influences psychological outcomes. By identifying emotion regulation difficulty and grit as key mechanisms, the findings emphasize the importance of addressing both emotional and perseverance-related dimensions in efforts to strengthen resilience. In disaster-prone contexts, developing interventions that target these processes may help individuals cope more effectively with ongoing environmental threats.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical Approval:\u003c/strong\u003e The study protocol has been approved by Necmettin Erbakan University Scientific Research and Ethical Review Board (Meeting Number: 19; Decision Number: 2025/877). The study was performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its following updates.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eİnformed Consent:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eInformed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their participation in the study. Participants were informed about the purpose of the study, the procedures involved, potential risks and benefits, and their right to withdraw at any time without penalty.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflict of Interest:\u003c/strong\u003e No conflict of interest exists for any authors of this manuscript.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding:\u003c/strong\u003e The authors received no financial support for this article\u0026apos;s research, authorship, and/or publication.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability:\u003c/strong\u003e Data will be available at a reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePre-registration Statement:\u003c/strong\u003e This study was not pre-registered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSupplemental Material:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eSupplemental material for this article is available online.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor contribution\u003c/strong\u003e: All authors contributed equally to this study.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbdelshafy, E. 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Factor analysis and psychometric evaluation of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) with Chinese people. \u003cem\u003eSocial Behavior and Personality: an international journal\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e35\u003c/em\u003e(1), 19-30. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2007.35.1.19. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eZhou, R., Zhang, L., Liu, Z., \u0026amp; Cao, B. (2025). Emotion regulation difficulties and disordered eating in adolescents and young adults: a meta-analysis. \u003cem\u003eJournal of Eating Disorders\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e13\u003c/em\u003e(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-025-01197-y \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-psychology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"discpsy","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Psychology](https://www.springer.com/44202)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Discover Psychology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Earthquake fear, psychological resilience, emotion regulation difficulty, grit, serial mediation","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8336101/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8336101/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eEarthquake-related fear can play a significant role in shaping individuals\u0026rsquo; 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 T\u0026uuml;rkiye 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\u0026rsquo; 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.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Psychological Resilience Among University Students Exposed To Earthquake Fear Mediated By Emotion Regulation Difficulty And Grit","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-01-16 11:11:16","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8336101/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-02-18T19:27:34+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-02-05T22:24:33+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-01-28T10:03:45+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"91591276264151863377059586310177807559","date":"2026-01-28T09:58:03+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"11358586818177878627048610265464576123","date":"2026-01-27T12:40:46+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-01-13T10:44:33+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2026-01-06T13:57:48+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-12-29T15:25:26+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-12-26T15:49:10+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Psychology","date":"2025-12-26T15:42:06+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-psychology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"discpsy","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Psychology](https://www.springer.com/44202)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Discover Psychology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"d9518814-eee8-4fbb-a3d3-d6ce90f083a4","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 16th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-03T12:23:57+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-01-16 11:11:16","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8336101","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8336101","identity":"rs-8336101","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}