Self-Compassion, Perceived Stress, and Trauma-Related Symptoms in Adolescents Exposed to an Earthquake

Background: Adolescents exposed to large-scale natural disasters are at increased risk for psychological distress, yet individual psychological characteristics associated with stress and trauma responses remain insufficiently explored. Self-compassion has been suggested as a relevant factor in stress regulation and emotional adjustment. This study aimed to examine the associations between self-compassion, perceived stress, and trauma-related reactions in adolescents exposed to an earthquake. Methods: The sample consisted of 3362 adolescents (57.3% female) aged 14–17 years (mean age = 15.01 ± 0.97 years) who were exposed to the 2020 Elazığ–Sivrice earthquake. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Self-Compassion Scale–Short Form (SCS-SF), and the Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index (CPTS-RI). Group comparisons and correlation analyses were conducted to examine relationships among the study variables and earthquake-related characteristics. Results: Adolescents residing in severely and moderately damaged areas reported significantly higher perceived stress and lower self-compassion compared to those in mildly damaged areas. Self-compassion was negatively correlated with trauma-related symptoms, whereas perceived stress showed a positive association with trauma reactions. Female adolescents reported higher perceived stress and trauma-related symptoms and lower self-compassion than males. Conclusions: The findings underscore the relevance of self-compassion in understanding adolescents’ psychological responses to earthquake-related stress and trauma and suggest that self-compassion may be considered in post-disaster psychological support efforts.