Afet yardım çalışanı kadınlarda psikolojik dayanıklılık: 6 Şubat Kahramanmaraş depremlerinde görev alan kadın kamu çalışanları üzerine bir araştırma

This study explores how female public employees who served during the February 6 earthquakes experienced the phenomenon of psychological resilience, and aims to identify the attributes that constitute this resilience. The sub-questions supporting this main inquiry are as follows: How do these employees describe the advantages and disadvantages of being female disaster workers? How do they evaluate their exposure to gender-based discrimination? Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 23 women from various professions—such as search and rescue technician, nurse, administrator, teacher, preacher, and psychological counselor—who worked in the field during the February 6 earthquakes. Participants ranged in age from 20 to 48 (mean = 38.91, SD = 9.4). Demographic data were gathered using a Personal Information Form. This qualitative study employed content analysis to identify and examine key components in the interview records, including recurring themes, patterns, and frequently used words. The data were analyzed using the Maxqda 2024 qualitative analysis software. As a result, 2 Main Themes, 6 Sub-Themes, and 40 Codes were generated, and the findings were presented accordingly. The study reveals that female disaster relief workers who served during the February 6 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes experienced both physical and psychological hardships due to unmet basic needs such as shelter, nutrition, privacy, and especially access to toilets. It also highlights the lack of adequate support mechanisms within organizational structures, women’s underrepresentation in decision-making processes compared to men, and their occasional exposure to prejudice rooted in gender roles. Moreover, the study indicates that these women demonstrated high levels of psychological resilience, supported not only by their personal traits but also by institutional and environmental factors, as well as solidarity among fellow women.