The Feasibility of Cognitive Process Therapy in Earthquake-affected Population With Mental Health Problems in Türkiye

Two large earthquakes struck Türkiye on the 6th of February 2023, affecting more than 14 million people, around 16% of the population, including more than 45.000 lost and 3.3 million displaced. Considering the current scale of the recent earthquakes in Türkiye, implementing and disseminating evidence-based psychosocial interventions, especially trauma-focused treatment approaches such as Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), is crucial in order to respond to the increasing mental health needs of the earthquake survivors. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a cognitive behavioral treatment for PTSD consisting of 12 one-hour sessions. CPT is delivered in three phases: education, processing, and challenging. The manualized treatment focuses on challenging beliefs and assumptions related to the trauma, oneself, and the world. Randomized clinical trials have revealed that CPT is an effective treatment for PTSD and other comorbid conditions in a variety of civilian trauma populations.

The study will be designed as a pilot randomized controlled trial, and the potential effectiveness of individual CPT will be tested compared to the Enhanced-Care as Usual (E-CAU) control group. CPT will be implemented on Zoom, which is an online platform with HIPAA compliance. After the baseline assessment, 30 eligible participants will be randomized to two arms: in either the CPT (n =15) or only the control group (E-CAU; n=15). The first session will take place no longer than one week after the pre-intervention assessment. The post-intervention assessment through the same measures will be scheduled six weeks after the pre-intervention assessment (i.e., one week after the 12th CPT session). The follow-up assessment will be conducted one month after the post-assessment. All study participants, including dropouts, will be invited to all outcome assessments. The primary outcome is post-traumatic stress disorder, and the following are the secondary clinical outcomes: symptoms of depression, anxiety, and well-being.

Inclusion criteria

• 18 years or above
• Individuals who were directly impacted by earthquakes in Turkey, in February 2023, learned that the earthquakes significantly impacted a close family member or close friend, or who were exposed to aversive details of the earthquake as part of their job.
• Scoring greater than 47 on the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Check List for PTSD symptoms

Exclusion criteria

• Acute medical conditions
• Imminent suicide risk
• Expressed acute needs/protection risks
• Indications of severe mental disorders (e.g., psychotic disorders) or cognitive impairment (e.g., severe intellectual disability)
• Severe cognitive impairment (e.g., severe intellectual disability or dementia)