A Qualitative Research on the Evaluation of Psychosocial Support Services by Those Affected by the Flood Disaster: "Okay, but This is My Hometown".

Abstract

The occurrence of new problems after a disaster and the exacerbation of existing problems require social work practices in the provision of holistic services. In disasters, social work includes interventions aimed at providing practical support and psychosocial support services. In this context, the study examines post-disaster psychosocial support services in Türkiye, following a flood case, from a social work perspective and through a qualitative approach. The participant group consists of 24 adults affected by the disaster, showing diversity in terms of age, socioeconomic status, and gender. In-depth interviews conducted with the participants were subjected to thematic analysis, generating information about the content of the psychosocial support services, their effectiveness, and how a more effective aid-support model should be structured. The research results indicate that all needs were considered after the disaster, and psychosocial support services contributed to feelings of trust and relief. However, participants' critiques revealed that these services need improvement. It was found that psychosocial support services were limited to basic, widespread, and urgent needs, were shorter in duration than required, failed to ensure public participation, and were inadequate in resource development and establishing connections. The research concluded that post-disaster psychosocial support services in Türkiye should be developed with a more layered model, considering local agency, and tailored to the specific problems of specialized groups and clients.