Anxiety Sensitivity and Emotion Regulation as Predictors of Psychological Resilience in Adolescents Exposed and Unexposed to an Earthquake

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between adolescents’ psychological resilience and their levels of anxiety sensitivity and emotion regulation skills. Additionally, it examined whether psychological resilience differs based on adolescents’ exposure to an earthquake. Employing a quantitative research design, the study used correlational research design. The sample consisted of 785 high school students (434 girls and 351 boys) aged between 15 and 16. Among them, 356 had experienced an earthquake, while 429 had not. Data were collected using the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-12), the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI), and the Regulation of Emotions Questionnaire (REQ) for Adolescents. The analyses included correlation, multiple regression, and independent samples t-tests. All subdimensions of emotion regulation (internal-functional, internal-dysfunctional, external-functional, and external-dysfunctional) significantly predicted psychological resilience. A negative correlation was found between psychological resilience and the cognitive dimension of anxiety sensitivity; however, psychological resilience did not significantly predict overall anxiety sensitivity. Furthermore, no significant difference in psychological resilience was found between adolescents who had experienced an earthquake and those who had not. The results are discussed in the context of existing literature.