Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Current Psychology, cilt.44, sa.16, ss.13887-13900, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus)
Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, have significant psychological consequences, particularly for vulnerable populations like postpartum women. This study aimed to determine the relationship between perceived social support and mental health among postpartum women who had experienced an earthquake. In this comparative cross-sectional study, the case group (n = 62) consisted of women who were in their third trimester at the time of the earthquake and gave birth after the disaster, while the control group (n = 62) comprised women who were also in their third trimester during the earthquake and had given birth but were not residing in the earthquake-affected region and had no prior experience of an earthquake. The study did not include individuals with intellectual disabilities, illiteracy. Data were collected using the Sociodemographic data form, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). The incidence rates of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (40.3%) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (43.5%) in postpartum women who experienced the earthquake were significantly higher than those in women who did not (Posttraumatic stress disorder: 6.5%, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale: 16.1%) (p <.001). The mean total MSPSS score of postpartum women who experienced the earthquake (61.7 ± 16.9) was significantly higher than that of those who did not (51.9 ± 13.2) (p <.001). The mean PTGI total score in postpartum women who experienced the earthquake (69.0 ± 19.2) was significantly higher than in the control group (57.3 ± 20.0) (p <.001). In postpartum women who experienced the earthquake, there was a significant positive correlation between PTGI and MSPSS scores, and between PCL-5 and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores (p <.001). Pregnant women who experienced the earthquake had significantly higher posttraumatic stress disorder and postpartum depression scores compared to those who did not. It was concluded that perceived social support may promote posttraumatic growth in women who have experienced a postpartum earthquake.