Meaning search as a mediator between post-traumatic stress symptoms and burnout in the long-term recovery phase after the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes.

Résumé

BACKGROUND: Large-scale earthquakes are associated with persistent psychological sequelae that extend beyond the acute post-disaster phase. While post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are well documented among disaster survivors, less is known about the psychological mechanisms linking PTSS to burnout during long-term recovery. The search for meaning following trauma represents a core existential process that may play a critical role in this association.METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined adult survivors of the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes residing in Hatay, Türkiye ( = 419). Data were collected approximately 18-20 months post-disaster (November 2024-January 2025). Participants completed validated Turkish versions of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), the Search for Meaning subscale of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), and the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM). Mediation analyses were conducted using Hayes' PROCESS macro (Model 4) with 5,000 bootstrap samples, controlling for sociodemographic variables, earthquake-related exposure, and psychiatric history/treatment.RESULTS: Higher PTSS were significantly associated with higher burnout levels. PTSS were also positively associated with meaning search, which in turn was positively associated with burnout. Mediation analyses indicated a significant indirect effect of PTSS on burnout through meaning search, while the direct effect of PTSS on burnout remained significant, consistent with partial mediation. All effects remained significant after adjustment for relevant covariates.CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that meaning search may partially account for the association between long-term post-traumatic stress symptoms and burnout among earthquake survivors. Although searching for meaning is a natural response to trauma, prolonged or unresolved meaning search may contribute to emotional exhaustion during extended recovery periods. Interventions addressing existential concerns and facilitating adaptive meaning-making may help mitigate burnout among disaster survivors in the long-term recovery phase.