Effects of the Integrated Grief Therapy on Psychological Resilience, Post-Traumatic Growth, Traumatic Stress, and Grief Processes in Earthquake Survivors

N/AActive Not RecruitingNCT07641270

Sakarya University190 enrolled

Overview

This study evaluates the effectiveness of an Integrated Grief Therapy (IGT) group program for adults affected by the February 6, 2023 earthquake in Türkiye. Many earthquake survivors experience psychological difficulties such as traumatic stress, grief, and reduced resilience after losing loved ones, homes, and a sense of safety. This study aims to determine whether a structured group-based therapy program can help improve psychological well-being and reduce distress. A total of 190 adult participants who experienced the earthquake were included in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a waitlist control group. The experimental group participated in an 8-session Integrated Grief Therapy program delivered face-to-face by trained mental health professionals. The program included psychoeducation about grief, emotional expression, cognitive and behavioral coping strategies, and activities designed to support meaning-making and adaptation after loss. The control group continued to receive routine psychosocial support services available in the community but did not participate in the structured therapy during the study period. All participants completed standardized psychological assessments before and after the intervention. These assessments measured psychological resilience, post-traumatic growth, grief-related difficulties, and traumatic stress symptoms. The study aims to determine whether participants who receive the Integrated Grief Therapy program show greater improvements in resilience and post-traumatic growth, and greater reductions in traumatic stress and grief symptoms, compared to those who do not receive the intervention during the same period. The findings from this study may help inform the development of effective, scalable mental health interventions for individuals affected by large-scale disasters.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Interventions

Integrated Grief Therapy (IGT)BEHAVIORAL

Integrated Grief Therapy (IGT) is a structured, 8-session group intervention developed to support individuals coping with loss after a disaster. The program integrates elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy, humanistic approaches, and grief-focused techniques. It includes psychoeducation about grief, identification and restructuring of maladaptive thoughts, emotional expression, interpersonal sharing, and meaning-making activities such as memory exercises and completion letters. The intervention aims to enhance psychological resilience, promote post-traumatic growth, and reduce traumatic stress and grief symptoms.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 45 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18 to 45 years * Individuals who were present in Hatay, Türkiye during the 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquakes * Individuals directly affected by the earthquake * Ability to provide informed consent * Willingness to participate in group-based psychological intervention sessions Exclusion Criteria: * Current diagnosis of a psychotic disorder or severe mental disorder * Severe cognitive impairment or neurological condition * Acute suicidal risk requiring immediate intervention or hospitalization * Currently receiving intensive psychiatric or psychological treatment * Substance use disorder in an acute or severe phase * Inability to commit to attending the full intervention program * Declined or withdrew informed consent

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Psychological Resilience Score

Psychological resilience will be assessed using the Psychological Resilience Scale for Adults. Total scores range from 33 to 165, with higher scores indicating greater psychological resilience.

Time frame: 8 week

Secondary Outcomes

Depression Score

Depression symptoms will be assessed using the Depression subscale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, a self-report instrument. The subscale consists of 7 items with total scores ranging from 0 to 42. Higher scores indicate greater depression severity.