The objective of this clinical study was to examine whether a brief EMDR 2.0 group intervention could reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety in adult survivors of the 2023 Türkiye earthquake. The study was conducted face-to-face in a container city in Malatya, one of the regions most severely affected by the disaster. EMDR 2.0 is an enhanced version of standard EMDR therapy that uses working memory taxation techniques to accelerate emotional processing. The primary research questions included whether EMDR 2.0 group therapy reduces PTSD symptoms in earthquake survivors, and whether it helps decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Participants attended three EMDR 2.0 group sessions in person over the course of one week and completed psychological assessments before the intervention, one week after, and one month after. Verbal disclosure of traumatic memories was not required during the sessions. Researchers used self-report questionnaires to evaluate changes in trauma-related distress, depression, and anxiety. This study contributes to the development of fast, accessible, and field-based psychological support strategies for communities affected by disasters.
Following the 2023 Türkiye earthquakes, widespread displacement, loss, and psychological trauma created an urgent need for effective and accessible mental health interventions. This clinical study was developed to address that need by offering a rapid, structured group therapy protocol-EMDR 2.0-to adult survivors residing in a temporary container city in Malatya, a region significantly impacted by the disaster. EMDR 2.0 is a modified version of traditional Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy. It intensifies working memory taxation through structured, dual-attention tasks and allows for the safe and efficient processing of traumatic memories without requiring verbal disclosure. The intervention was delivered in the same container units used as temporary housing by survivors, thereby transforming these living spaces into short-term therapeutic settings. Over the course of one week, three group sessions were administered in person. While participants were gathered in a group format, each individual engaged in processing their own traumatic imagery using the EMDR 2.0 protocol. This approach provided containment and emotional safety within a physically and psychologically shared post-disaster context. Verbal expression of trauma was not required, which minimized the risk of retraumatization and enhanced the accessibility of the intervention for individuals hesitant to disclose. The study was designed not only to evaluate the effectiveness of EMDR 2.0 in reducing symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety but also to assess the feasibility of implementing this method under real-world post-disaster conditions with limited resources. The findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on scalable trauma interventions suitable for use in field-based, high-need humanitarian settings. This work underscores the potential of brief, structured group interventions to facilitate emotional recovery when survivors are supported in environments that respect both their privacy and collective experience.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
58
A short-term trauma-focused group protocol adapted from EMDR 2.0, delivered in three sessions over one week, targeting PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms among earthquake survivors. The first session lasted 90 minutes, followed by two 60-minute sessions. The intervention was administered face-to-face in a container city in Malatya, Türkiye. All sessions were conducted by a certified EMDR therapist who had completed advanced EMDR 2.0 training.
Malatya Teknokent Container Settlement
Battalgazi, Malatya, Turkey (Türkiye)
PTSD symptom severity
The primary outcome is the change in PTSD symptoms as measured by the PCL-5, a 20-item self-report questionnaire that assesses PTSD symptoms based on DSM-5 criteria. The scale includes four subscales: intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity. Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
Time frame: Assessed at three time points - before the intervention (Day 0), one week after the completion of the third session (approximately Day 7), and one month after the completion (approximately Day 30)
Depression symptom severity (DASS-21 Depression subscale)
The DASS-21 Depression subscale evaluates core symptoms such as dysphoria, hopelessness, and devaluation of life. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms.
Time frame: Assessed at three time points: before the intervention (Day 0), one week after completion of the third session (approximately Day 7), and one month after completion (approximately Day 30)
Anxiety symptom severity (DASS-21 Anxiety subscale)
The DASS-21 Anxiety subscale measures autonomic arousal, skeletal muscle effects, situational anxiety, and subjective experience of anxious affect.
Time frame: Assessed at three time points: before the intervention (Day 0), one week after completion of the third session (approximately Day 7), and one month after completion (approximately Day 30)
Stress symptom severity (DASS-21 Stress subscale)
The DASS-21 Stress subscale evaluates persistent tension, irritability, and difficulty relaxing. Higher scores indicate elevated stress-related symptoms.
Time frame: Assessed at three time points: before the intervention (Day 0), one week after completion of the third session (approximately Day 7), and one month after completion (approximately Day 30).
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