Previously submitted to: JMIR Mental Health (no longer under consideration since Oct 01, 2025)
Date Submitted: Sep 30, 2025
Open Peer Review Period: Oct 1, 2025 - Oct 1, 2025
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Awaiting on the Rubble: Phenomenological Perspectives on Ambiguous Loss by Earthquake Survivors
ABSTRACT
On February 6th, 2023, a series of powerful earthquakes struck more than ten cities in Turkiye, resulting in the deaths of approximately 55K people and leaving many missing. Family members who were unable to locate the bodies of their loved ones experienced ambiguous loss, a grief characterized by uncertainty about the fate or whereabouts of the person. Such losses disrupt regular grieving processes and result in a prolonged state of emotional uncertainty. This phenomenological study examined fourteen family members who experienced ambiguous loss following the disaster. We conducted in-depth interviews to investigate how participants experienced the loss, reconstructed their identities, and related to their environment and future. Through content analysis of the transcribed interviews, we generated four themes: Process; Others; Effects; Self, Family, and Life Roles; and Responsibles. Although most participants eventually received confirmation of the death of their loved ones, the period of uncertainty immediately after the earthquake caused emotional distress and complicated the grieving process. Many described intense emotional distress and also reflected ways of coping through meaning-making and emotional adaptation over time.
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