Investigation of the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between the difficulty of regulating emotion and psychiatric symptoms in disasters: Kahramanmaraş earthquake example.

Objective: This study aims to examine the relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and psychiatric symptoms in the context of disasters and to investigate the mediating role of self-compassion.

Method: Data were collected from 308 adult participants (18 and older) residing in 11 provinces affected by the Kahramanmaraş Earthquake through social media and WhatsApp groups. Participants completed an online survey, which included the Self-Compassion Scale, the Emotion Regulation Difficulty Scale, and the Brief Symptom Inventory. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 22 and the PROCESS V4.2 macro.

Results: The findings indicate a significant relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and psychiatric symptoms in disaster contexts. In addition, self-compassion was found to have an important mediating role in this relationship, suggesting that individuals with higher self-compassion experience fewer psychiatric symptoms despite difficulties in emotion regulation.

Conclusion: These results highlight the importance of self-compassion in mitigating posttraumatic psychological symptoms and supporting psychological healing. The study contributes to the understanding of postdisaster emotional processes and provides valuable insights for psychological interventions aimed at fostering resilience and recovery. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).