Comparison of Depression, Anxiety, Stress Levels, and Psychological Resilience in Fathers Affected and Not Affected by the Kahramanmaraş Earthquake

Aim This study aims to examine the levels of depression, anxiety, stress and psychological resilience in fathers who experienced the Kahramanmaraş earthquake, one of the most severely affected regions, and to compare these findings with fathers residing in unaffected areas. Background Earthquakes generate profound psychosocial consequences in addition to physical destruction. Symptoms such as depression, anxiety, stress and post-traumatic stress disorder are frequently reported after natural disasters. Fathers may face increased psychological pressure due to their central role in maintaining family functioning. Understanding how disasters affect paternal mental health is essential for planning effective post-disaster interventions. Methods This cross-sectional and descriptive study included 118 fathers living in the Kahramanmaraş region during the earthquake and 87 fathers residing in unaffected regions. No specific sampling strategy was applied. Data were analyzed to compare symptom levels and psychological resilience across the two groups. Results Significant differences were identified between fathers in the affected and unaffected regions in levels of stress, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Fathers who experienced the earthquake had higher scores in all symptom measures. No significant difference was found in psychological resilience levels. A strong positive correlation emerged between Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 scores and post-traumatic stress disorder, while the Brief Psychological Resilience Scale showed a strong negative correlation with these variables. Conclusions Fathers exposed to the earthquake demonstrated elevated levels of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and stress. These findings highlight the need for mental health support directed toward fathers following disasters to promote family stability and emotional well-being.