Impact of Political Violence on People in Istanbul: The Role of Resilience in Posttraumatic Stress and Psychological Health

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of political violence on people exposed to terrorist attacks in Istanbul between 2015 and 2016, and the role of resilience in both psychological stress and posttraumatic stress. The data was collected from 172 people using the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), and Traumatic Stress Symptoms Checklist (TSSC). Only 25.9% of the participants who were directly exposed to terrorist attacks and 13.8%who were exposed indirectly, had probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The frequency of probable PTSD was higher in participants who were present at the explosion area during the attack, provided either physical or emotional aid to a terror survivor, and who escaped from the attacks by chance. Perception of future and perception of self had a negative correlation with both TSSC PTSD scores and psychological stress scores. Perception of future, family coherence, perception of self, and social resources were negatively correlated with TSSC PTSD scores. In addition, perception of future and perception of self were negatively correlated with psychological stress scores. The psychological impact of ongoing exposure to violence is destructive; in a context of persistent violence, intervention strategies focused on resilience are essential for patient care.