Investigating the Impact of Psychosocial Problems in Parents Following an Earthquake on the Psychosocial Issues in Their Children and Their Relationship with Their Children

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to determine the psychosocial status of parents and children one year after the earthquakes that affected 11 provinces in our country on February 6, 2023, and to identify the effects of parents’ psychosocial problems on their health perceptions, the occurrence of psychosocial symptoms in their children, and parent-child communication. Material and Method: The study had a cross-sectional descriptive design, and the sample included 204 individuals who volunteered to participate via online social media platforms between November 2023 and February 2024 and met the inclusion criteria. The data were collected using the “Parent and child information form” developed by the researchers based on the literature, the “Health Perception Scale,” the “Beck Anxiety Inventory,” the “Beck Depression Inventory,” the “Parent-Child Relationship Scale,” and the “Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC-17)” for children aged 6–16. Completing the data collection instruments took approximately 15–20 minutes. Results: It was determined that 45% of parents had mild anxiety, while 35% had mild depression. Only 1% of children had a PSC- 17 score of 12 or higher. There was no significant difference in communication with their children based on the parents’ anxiety and depression levels (p>0.05). Children of parents experiencing anxiety and depression after the earthquake had statistically significant psychosocial problems. Parents’ health perception scores varied according to their depression levels. Advanced analysis indicated that parents with moderate and severe depression scores had lower health perception scores compared to parents with low and mild depression scores (p: 0.02; p: 0.012). Conclusion: Even one year after the earthquake, parents continued to experience anxiety and depression, and this situation affected the occurrence of psychosocial problems in their children. Additionally, parents with high levels of depression had lower health perception scores. These results demonstrate the continued need for psychosocial support for parents after an earthquake.

Keywords

• anxiety
• depression
• earthquake
• health perception; parents; parent-child relation

References

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