To evaluate the mental health of play-age children affected by the 2023 Türkiye–Syria earthquakes and their mothers, using single-item scales.

Four hundred earthquake survivor mother–child dyads were included. The mental health of mothers and children was assessed using single-item screening tools, the Self-Reported Mother Mental Health (SRMH) and the Mother-Reported Child Mental Health (MRCMH).

The prevalence of negative mental health increased from 10% to 52% in play-age children and from 13% to 70% in their mothers after the earthquakes. For post-earthquake negative SRMH, associated factors included limited access to safe water (AOR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.10–5.75, P = 0.029), good perception of security services (AOR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.12–0.73, P = 0.008), and post-earthquake negative MRCMH (AOR = 8.65, 95% CI: 4.70–15.91, P < 0.001). For post-earthquake negative MRCMH, associated factors were out-of-house sheltering (AOR = 3.13, 95% CI: 1.72–5.69, P < 0.001), good perception of nutritional services (AOR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.22–0.96, P = 0.039), pre-earthquake negative MRCMH (AOR = 4.68, 95% CI: 1.87–11.73, P = 0.001), and post-earthquake negative SRMH (AOR = 11.35, 95% CI: 5.92–21.76, P < 0.001).

Post-earthquake mental health outcomes were most consistently predicted by limited basic resources (water and nutrition services), not good service quality, and pre-existing or co-occurring negative mental health.