Development and validation of the Earthquake Obsession Scale

Death Stud. 2025;49(3):219-227. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2024.2317177. Epub 2024 Feb 19.

Abstract

Earthquakes are natural disasters that are very destructive and whose timing is unknown. These disasters can have a very negative effect on people's mental health, and their effects can last for many years. This study examined the psychometric properties of a scale to measure earthquake obsession. Data were collected from adults living in different provinces of Türkiye (N = 732), who completed the new scale, Doomscrolling Scale, Death Distress Scale, and Mental Well-Being Scale. The Earthquake Obsession Scale (EOS) had a two-factor structure, good internal consistency reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity. Correlational analysis revealed that earthquake obsession was positively associated with doomscrolling and death anxiety, and negatively associated with well-being. Mediation analysis indicated that doomscrolling and death distress mediated the relationship between earthquake obsession and well-being. The results emphasized the potential of earthquake obsession to affect daily life negatively and revealed its relationship with psychological variables.

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Earthquakes*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Obsessive Behavior* / diagnosis
  • Obsessive Behavior* / psychology
  • Psychometrics* / instrumentation
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Turkey
  • Young Adult