Mental Symptoms and Academic Motivation in University Students After Kahramanmaraş Earthquake: A Relationship...

The Kahramanmaras Earthquake, which occurred on February 6, 2023, and classified as a major and devastating earthquake, sometimes referred to as the "disaster of the century," resulted in significant destruction and loss in Kahramanmaras and 10 other provinces with magnitudes of 7.8 Mw (±0.1) and 7.5 Mw. This study aims to confirm whether there is a relationship between the academic motivation of students who experienced the earthquake and the psychological complaints they experienced.

In this cross-sectional study, 706 volunteer university students who were exposed to the Kahramanmaras earthquake were included. Participants were asked to fill out a sociodemographic data form, the Academic Motivation Scale, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale.

Damage to buildings (p = .003), lack of social support (p = .000), having psychological complaints (p = .000), and having experienced another traumatic event before the earthquake (p = .000) were significantly associated with lack of motivation. Furthermore, a significant positive relationship was found between lack of motivation and depressive symptoms (r = 0.368, p < .001), anxious symptoms (r = 0.297, p < .001), and stress (r = 0.327, p < .001).

The study concluded that anxious symptoms, depressive symptoms, and stress are related to lack of motivation. Individuals with damaged homes, inadequate social support, and past traumatic experiences constitute a risk group for academic demotivation.