Moderating effect of post-earthquake trauma on motivation, resilience, and self-efficacy in academic grit

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Introduction This study examined whether and how post-earthquake trauma moderates the associations between intrinsic motivation, resilience, self-efficacy, and academic grit. Methods Data were collected from 1,007 high school survivors of the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Adıyaman and Osmaniye. Multigroup structural equation modeling compared structural paths across low-, medium-, and high-trauma groups, with FIML estimation and bootstrap confidence intervals. Results At low trauma, intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, and resilience were all positively associated with academic grit. At moderate trauma, intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy remained significant but resilience did not. At high trauma, intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy stayed positive, whereas resilience showed a significant negative association. Discussion Post-earthquake trauma is associated with differential structural patterns. The negative resilience association at high trauma underscores the need for direct psychosocial support, alongside interventions strengthening self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation.