The relationship of strength-based parenting with the negative effects of earthquake: Mediating roles of optimism, resilience and mindfulness

Abstract

Earthquakes are natural disasters whose devastating effects are widely known and in early February 2023, 11 provinces in T & uuml;rkiye were deeply shaken. It was important to examine the protective factors against the negative effects of earthquakes to develop effective interventions and significant recovery. Hitherto, research in the literature focused more on the negative effects of the disaster and paid less attention to the conditions under which the forces that support well-being, such as optimism, resilience, and mindfulness. Thus, in the current study, we tested the relationship between Strength-based Parenting and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms and the mediating role of optimism, resilience, and mindfulness in such a relationship. 408 university students who survived the devastating earthquake were included in the study. Participants filled out the Strength-Based Parenting Scale, Optimism and Pessimism Scale, Brief Resilience Scale, Mindfulness Scale, and Depression, Stress, Anxiety Scale (DASS-21). In the results, strength-based parenting was found to be positively correlated with optimism, resilience, and mindfulness while negative correlations were detected with depression, anxiety, and stress. Moreover, optimism, resilience, and mindfulness were found to mediate the relationship between strength-based Parenting and depression, anxiety, and stress. In this manner, the results showed that strength-based parenting has a protective role against the negative effects of the earthquake by contributing to optimism, resilience, and mindfulness. Thus, strength-based parenting appears promising in natural disaster studies.