Future Expectations and Psychiatric Symptoms in Earthquake Victim Adolescents

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Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between positive future expectations and earthquake-related losses (home damage, death of someone close), depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress levels in adolescents who experienced the February 6, 2023 earthquake in Turkiye. Method: The sample of the study consisted of 171 adolescents with a mean age of 15.94 ± 1.41 years, 110 (64.3%) girls and 61 (35.7%) boys. Participants were evaluated with Positive Future Expectations Scale, Child Depression Inventory, The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index. Results: It was determined that 153 (89.4%) of the participants had home damage and/or death of someone close, 129 (75.4%) had home damage and 115 (67.3%) had loss of a close person. It was found that 65.4% (n = 112) of the participants had depressive symptom levels above the cut-off score (19), and the anxiety levels and posttraumatic stress levels of adolescents who experienced loss of someone important and home damage were significantly higher than those without loss. The level of positive future expectancy was significantly lower in adolescents with home damage and/or bereavement compared to those without bereavement. It was found that positive future expectancy level of adolescents was negatively correlated with age, depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress levels, and home damage, depression and anxiety levels predicted positive future expectancy levels negatively and significantly.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that positive future expectancy was negatively associated with psychiatric symptoms and losses in adolescents who experienced the earthquake.