Struggles in providing psychosocial support services to survivors of the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes from professionals’ experiences

Abstract

Background: On 6 February 2023, the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes created a severe crisis, underscoring the essential yet challenging role of psychosocial support (PSS). This study explores how PSS professionals identified and addressed survivors’ needs, as well as the operational struggles professionals encountered during the disaster response phase. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study, following the COREQ guidelines, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 PSS professionals across four severely affected provinces (Kahramanmaraş, Malatya, Gaziantep, and Hatay). Reflexive thematic analysis revealed that psychosocial distress stemmed not only from acute traumatic experiences but also from environmental insecurities in tent and container cities, including the risks of violence, abuse, neglect, inadequate care, and poor hygiene. Results: The results indicate that psychosocial distress is not only an immediate impact of traumatic experiences, but also a major manifestation of the environmental insecurities (such as abuse, violence, neglect, care, and hygiene) and societal fragmentation in the shelter environments. The results highlight the rising prevalence of acute stress disorders among survivors, increased domestic tensions, and the consolidation of traditional gender roles. This has a disproportionate effect on women’s well-being and on the access to caring for older adults and persons with disabilities. Despite the committed efforts of PSS professionals, systemic limitations – such as short-term staffing, limited coordination, and insufficient infrastructure – restricted service effectiveness. Conclusions: The complexity of providing effective PSS in disaster situations has become even more apparent due to inadequate resource allocation, logistical problems, and major administrative challenges. This study calls for well-coordinated and gender- and culture-sensitive psychosocial interventions and the involvement of well-resourced institutions and organizations to enhance the effectiveness of disaster response.