Users’ psychological interactions in post-earthquake permanent housing: a PRISMA-guided scientometric and content analysis

Post-earthquake recovery involves not only physical reconstruction but also psychological well-being, social adaptation, and users’ lived experiences. Permanent housing is increasingly recognized as an important component of long-term recovery due to its associations with psychological comfort, social cohesion, and place attachment. This study systematically reviews the literature on users’ psychological interactions with post-earthquake permanent housing to identify key research themes, methodological trends, and future research directions. A PRISMA-based systematic literature review was conducted in combination with scientometric and qualitative content analyses. The dataset includes 93 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 1996 and 2025 and indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliometric analysis examined publication trends and international collaboration patterns, while keyword co-occurrence and qualitative content analyses were used to reveal the conceptual structure of the field. The findings show increasing scholarly attention to the psychological dimensions of post-earthquake housing. Five thematic clusters were identified: psychological recovery and coping mechanisms; housing reconstruction and disaster recovery; user satisfaction and recovery experiences; architectural approaches to temporary and permanent housing; and housing pathways and heritage preservation. The study highlights the need for more qualitative, mixed-method, and longitudinal research and provides directions for more user-centred housing design and planning in post-disaster contexts.