TY  - EJOU
AU  - Aygun, Yalin 
AU  - Tufekci, Şakir 
AU  - Canpolat, Burak 
AU  - Turhan, Fatih Harun 
AU  - Yagin, Burak 
AU  - Tufekci, Sacide 
AU  - Badicu, Georgian 
AU  - Tanveer, Moazzam 
AU  - Seval, İsmet 
AU  - Berktaş, Hülya 

TI  - Post-Earthquake Well-Being, Trauma, and Physical Activity Motivations in Young Adults
T2  - International Journal of Mental Health Promotion

PY  - 
VL  - 
IS  - 
SN  - 2049-8543

AB  - Background: Large-scale earthquakes may substantially affect university students’ psychological functioning, motivation, and overall well-being. Understanding these multidimensional psychosocial processes is essential for developing effective post-disaster mental health and physical activity interventions. This study examined psychological well-being, post-earthquake trauma symptoms, recreational sport well-being, and sport motivation among university students studying in Türkiye’s earthquake-affected region. In addition, demographic and contextual factors were explored to better understand psychosocial differences in post-disaster adaptation. <b>Methods:</b> A cross-sectional design was employed with 651 sport sciences students from two universities located in the 2023 earthquake zone. Data were collected using an online questionnaire including the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS), Post-Earthquake Trauma Assessment Scale (PETAS), Recreational Sport Well-Being Scale (RSWBS), and Sport Motivation Scale–6 (SMS-6). Group comparisons and associations were examined using nonparametric tests and Spearman correlations. Additional multivariate regression, mediation, and moderation analyses were conducted to clarify relationships among key variables. <b>Results:</b> Female students reported significantly higher trauma-related symptoms, whereas male students demonstrated higher psychological well-being (<i>p</i> = 0.047, r = 0.077). Higher income and advanced academic year were associated with higher well-being and recreational well-being scores (η<sup>2</sup> = 0.014–0.028). Trauma symptoms were negatively associated with well-being indicators, while psychological and recreational well-being showed positive correlations (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Multivariate analyses indicated that emotional restriction and behavioral problems were the strongest negative predictors of well-being. <b>Conclusion:</b> The findings suggest that post-disaster psychosocial functioning among university students reflects a multidimensional structure in which trauma symptoms, well-being, motivation, and recreational engagement coexist in meaningful associations. Emotional processes, behavioral functioning, and socioeconomic resources appear particularly relevant for understanding well-being differences, supporting the importance of multidimensional, resource-sensitive post-disaster interventions in university settings.
KW  - Psychological well-being; post-earthquake trauma; physical activity; sport motivation; university students

DO  - 10.32604/ijmhp.2026.077338