Voluntary Search-and-Rescue Workers’ Experiences After Witnessing Trauma in the Earthquake Field

Ayşen Köse

Makale detayları

Voluntary Search-and-Rescue Workers’ Experiences After Witnessing Trauma in the Earthquake Field

Yazarlar:

Ayşen Köse

Yayıncı:

İdeal Kent Yayınları

Dergi:

OPUS Toplum Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.20 Issue 51, pp.56-66

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

1/2023

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001283274

pISSN:

2791-9862

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Turkey has an earthquake-prone geography, and as in Turkey, when professional resources are not sufficiently available in a community hit by a disaster, volunteer search-and-rescue workers help is crucial for quickly meeting disaster-area needs. However, few studies focus on volunteer search-and-rescuers post-traumatic reactions although trauma literature has grown regarding professional search-and-rescue teams post-traumatic responses. Based on this gap in the literature, this study was conducted. This qualitative study provides an in-depth understanding of secondary trauma and vicarious post-traumatic growth among 13 search-and-rescue team workers involved in disaster relief activities following the 2020 Izmir earthquake in Turkey. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and an interpretive phenomenological approach was used. The findings revealed that the participants suffered secondary traumatic stress symptoms, namely, hyperarousal, intrusive images, and thoughts but experienced vicarious post-traumatic growth in discovering personal strength, relating to others, appreciating life, and striving to do their job better. This studys findings can be a source for developing psychosocial post-disaster support services and interventions for volunteers and be used to improve pre-field preparation training content for voluntary search-and-rescue teams. The findings also underlined the fact that focusing on facilitating vicarious post-traumatic growth is as crucial as overcoming voluntary search-and-rescue workers post-traumatic stress.

 Turkey has an earthquake-prone geography, and as in Turkey, when professional resources are not sufficiently available in a community hit by a disaster, volunteer search-and-rescue workers help is crucial for quickly meeting disaster-area needs. However, few studies focus on volunteer search-and-rescuers post-traumatic reactions although trauma literature has grown regarding professional search-and-rescue teams post-traumatic responses. Based on this gap in the literature, this study was conducted. This qualitative study provides an in-depth understanding of secondary trauma and vicarious post-traumatic growth among 13 search-and-rescue team workers involved in disaster relief activities following the 2020 Izmir earthquake in Turkey. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and an interpretive phenomenological approach was used. The findings revealed that the participants suffered secondary traumatic stress symptoms, namely, hyperarousal, intrusive images, and thoughts but experienced vicarious post-traumatic growth in discovering personal strength, relating to others, appreciating life, and striving to do their job better. This studys findings can be a source for developing psychosocial post-disaster support services and interventions for volunteers and be used to improve pre-field preparation training content for voluntary search-and-rescue teams. The findings also underlined the fact that focusing on facilitating vicarious post-traumatic growth is as crucial as overcoming voluntary search-and-rescue workers post-traumatic stress.

 Turkey has an earthquake-prone geography, and as in Turkey, when professional resources are not sufficiently available in a community hit by a disaster, volunteer search-and-rescue workers help is crucial for quickly meeting disaster-area needs. However, few studies focus on volunteer search-and-rescuers post-traumatic reactions although trauma literature has grown regarding professional search-and-rescue teams post-traumatic responses. Based on this gap in the literature, this study was conducted. This qualitative study provides an in-depth understanding of secondary trauma and vicarious post-traumatic growth among 13 search-and-rescue team workers involved in disaster relief activities following the 2020 Izmir earthquake in Turkey. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and an interpretive phenomenological approach was used. The findings revealed that the participants suffered secondary traumatic stress symptoms, namely, hyperarousal, intrusive images, and thoughts but experienced vicarious post-traumatic growth in discovering personal strength, relating to others, appreciating life, and striving to do their job better. This studys findings can be a source for developing psychosocial post-disaster support services and interventions for volunteers and be used to improve pre-field preparation training content for voluntary search-and-rescue teams. The findings also underlined the fact that focusing on facilitating vicarious post-traumatic growth is as crucial as overcoming voluntary search-and-rescue workers post-traumatic stress.

 Turkey has an earthquake-prone geography, and as in Turkey, when professional resources are not sufficiently available in a community hit by a disaster, volunteer search-and-rescue workers help is crucial for quickly meeting disaster-area needs. However, few studies focus on volunteer search-and-rescuers post-traumatic reactions although trauma literature has grown regarding professional search-and-rescue teams post-traumatic responses. Based on this gap in the literature, this study was conducted. This qualitative study provides an in-depth understanding of secondary trauma and vicarious post-traumatic growth among 13 search-and-rescue team workers involved in disaster relief activities following the 2020 Izmir earthquake in Turkey. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and an interpretive phenomenological approach was used. The findings revealed that the participants suffered secondary traumatic stress symptoms, namely, hyperarousal, intrusive images, and thoughts but experienced vicarious post-traumatic growth in discovering personal strength, relating to others, appreciating life, and striving to do their job better. This studys findings can be a source for developing psychosocial post-disaster support services and interventions for volunteers and be used to improve pre-field preparation training content for voluntary search-and-rescue teams. The findings also underlined the fact that focusing on facilitating vicarious post-traumatic growth is as crucial as overcoming voluntary search-and-rescue workers post-traumatic stress.

Makale detayları

Voluntary Search-and-Rescue Workers’ Experiences After Witnessing Trauma in the Earthquake Field

Yazarlar:

Ayşen Köse

Yayıncı:

İdeal Kent Yayınları

Dergi:

OPUS Toplum Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.20 Issue 51, pp.56-66

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

1/2023

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001283274

pISSN:

2791-9862

Secondary Traumatic Stress

Vicarious Post-Traumatic Growth

Volunteer Search-And-Rescue Teams

Earthquake

Trauma

secondary traumatic stress

vicarious post-traumatic growth

volunteer search-and-rescue teams

earthquake

trauma

Secondary Traumatic Stress

Vicarious Post-Traumatic Growth

Volunteer Search-And-Rescue Teams

Earthquake

Trauma

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Ayşen Köse

Yayıncı: İdeal Kent Yayınları

Dergi: OPUS Toplum Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.20 Issue 51, pp.56-66

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 1/2023

Belge Dili: İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.): 2001283274

pISSN: 2791-9862

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Ayşen Köse

Yayıncı:

İdeal Kent Yayınları

Dergi:

OPUS Toplum Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.20 Issue 51, pp.56-66

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

1/2023

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001283274

pISSN:

2791-9862