Mindfulness and life satisfaction in post-earthquake young adults: longitudinal mediation by psychological adjustment

Large-scale traumatic events such as earthquakes have profound and long-lasting impacts on individuals' psychological well-being. However, the protective mechanisms that may foster adjustment and support life satisfaction in the aftermath of such disasters remain insufficiently explored. This longitudinal study examined the mediating role of psychological adjustment in the relationship between mindfulness and life satisfaction among young adult earthquake survivors. Data were collected through two web-based surveys conducted approximately six months apart. The final sample consisted of 277 Turkish young adults (58.5% female; M = 21.52, SD = 2.29). Using a cross-lagged panel model for a half-longitudinal design, the findings revealed that mindfulness at Time 1 significantly predicted higher psychological adjustment at Time 2, which in turn contributed to greater life satisfaction. Moreover, psychological adjustment mediated the longitudinal association between mindfulness and life satisfaction. In this context, the findings suggest that mindfulness-based interventions and structured psychological counseling can effectively support life satisfaction and post-trauma adjustment, offering practical guidance for post-disaster mental health practices.