Mindfulness as a mediator in the relationship between resilience and posttraumatic growth

Abstract

The February 6, 2023 earthquakes in Turkey affected a large region and deeply affected the lives of millions of people. Research on the psychological effects of this disaster has gained importance. In this study posttraumatic growth (PTG) was investigated in teachers who experienced the February 6 Earthquakes, by examining the mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between resilience and PTG. The study group of the research conducted for this purpose consisted of 477 teachers aged between 23 and 64 who experienced the Kahramanmaraş-based earthquakes that took place on 6 February 2023 in the disaster area. The data were collected six months after the disaster. The measurement tools used in the study include a Personal Information Form developed by the researchers, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Resilience Scale for Adults, and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. As a result of the study, low but significant relationships were found between PTG, resilience, and mindfulness. The mediating role of mindfulness was examined by testing four different models using the SPSS PROCESS macro (Model 4) for the PTG total score and its three sub-dimensions. The results revealed that resilience positively influences PTG across all its sub-dimensions, and mindfulness serves as a mediator in all these relationships. These findings suggest that to enhance PTG, interventions should focus more on mindfulness, as it plays a role in mediating the influence of resilience on PTG in individuals following a disaster.