Academic Resilience of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Students After the Earthquake in Turkey

Year 2025, Volume: 14 Issue: 1, 47 - 60, 30.06.2025

Nazlı Aykut

https://doi.org/10.71362/eltrj.1705735

Abstract

Academic resilience is the ability of students to effectively manage academic difficulties, anxiety, and academic pressure. This study intends to examine the academic resilience of second-year physical therapy and rehabilitation students who started their undergraduate education after the February 6, 2023 earthquakes. A phenomenological approach, in particular, was used to learn about the students' first-hand experiences. This study was conducted with second-year students studying at Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation and taking the Vocational English course in the spring semester of 2024-2025 academic year. Participants were selected using the convenience sampling method according to their readiness and reachability in the class. In this study, the data obtained through semi-structured interviews were analysed using the thematic analysis method emphasized by Braun and Clarke (2006). The findings were examined under three themes: the difficulties students face in their academic lives, strategies to cope with them, and the support needed to improve their academic resilience. As a result of the findings, many factors affecting student resilience and strategies developed to cope with these factors have emerged.

Keywords

Academic resilience , coping strategies , higher education , earthquake

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