Effectiveness of an online-delivered, ultra-brief group psychoeducation intervention for earthquake-related trauma symptom severity and posttraumatic cognitions
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21623596 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sedanur Caydı (0009-0003-6309-1579, Ankara University, corresponding author), Sedat Batmaz (0000-0003-0585-2184, Ankara University), Ilayda Etkin Guler Erdil (0009-0007-7452-5263, Teknoloji Arastirma ve Gelistirme Endustriyel Urunler Bilisim Teknolojileri San Tic) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Current Psychology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1046-1310 • E-ISSN: 1936-4733 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s12144-026-09083-9 |
| OpenAlex | W7126203151 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 41 |
Natural disasters such as earthquakes are among the most disruptive and traumatic events, often resulting in substantial psychological distress. This study employed a two-phase design to examine the psychological impact of the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake in Türkiye and to evaluate an ultra-brief online psychoeducation program developed in response to it. In the first phase, a cross-sectional survey was administered to 161 adults, 96 of whom resided in the affected cities, to assess trauma-related distress (IES-R), trauma-related cognitions (PTCI), and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS-21). In the second phase, a subgroup of participants volunteered for a four-session online group psychoeducation program, and 10 individuals completed the full intervention and posttest assessment. Participants directly exposed to the earthquake reported higher distress than those not exposed. Regression analyses indicated that anxiety, financial loss, and bereavement were significant predictors of distress. Among psychoeducation participants, significant reductions were observed in traumatic stress and depressive symptoms, whereas anxiety symptoms did not show a significant decrease. These findings suggest that ultra-brief, online-delivered psychoeducation may offer rapid and cost-effective support for disaster survivors. However, the small intervention sample and high attrition highlight the need for larger-scale evaluations and additional interventions to address persistent symptoms. The study demonstrates the value of timely and accessible psychoeducational strategies following disasters and offers preliminary evidence for scalable online support models
Anxiety · Attrition · Cognition · Distress · Natural disaster · Psychoeducation · Psychological distress · Psychological intervention · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Migration, Health and Trauma · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The Epidemiology of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after Disasters
The Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI)
Psychological distress and psychiatric disorder after natural disasters
A cognitive model of posttraumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder following disasters
The structure of negative emotional states
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Resource loss, coping strategies and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in survivors of the 2020 Croatia earthquake
Impact of a trauma intervention on reducing dropout from substance use disorder treatment
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Making sense of the meaning literature
Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis
| Highly cited | No |
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