Mental Health Outcomes of Earthquake Survivors in Türkiye

Koç University

Status

Completed

Conditions

Mental Health Issue

Treatments

Behavioral: Problem Management Plus (PM+)

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT05993507

2023.214.IRB3.097

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary aim of this open trial pilot study will be to test feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact of Problem Management Plus (PM+), brief, scalable psychological intervention developed by WHO, for earthquake survivors in Türkiye. Secondly, this study aims to assess trial procedures in preparation for a future studies evaluating the effectiveness of PM+ intervention with earthquake survivors.

Full description

Considering the fact that around 16% of Turkey's population is affected by the February 6 earthquakes, reaching a higher number of people on time can be achieved through the implementation of brief, scalable interventions addressing common mental health problems. This will be the first study that investigate the individual PM+ among earthquake survivors in Türkiye. Testing these interventions will provide evidence for further use in future disasters.

The study will assess changes in depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress symptoms, psychological distress, and psychosocial functioning scores before and after the intervention. The hypothesis to be examined posits that participants will have significantly lower depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, psychological distress and psychosocial functioning scores at the post assessment compared to pre-assessment.

This study will be designed as a single group pre-and post-test research. The sample will be adult earthquake survivors in Türkiye. A partnership has been formed with Travma ve Afet Ruh Sağlığı Çalışmaları Derneği (TARDE), a non-governmental organization working in the earthquake-stricken regions. 30 psychologists of TARDE have been trained for PM+ for their work with people who experienced the earthquake. The outcome measures will be assessed two times: once before and once after PM+ will be conducted. After the baseline assessment, all participants will receive the consecutive 5-session on individual PM+. The PM+ intervention consists of five weekly sessions incorporating evidence-based behavioral strategies.

Enrollment

60 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

being 18 years or above
being experienced the earthquake
reported elevated level of psychological distress indicated by a score of >15 on Kessler Psychological Distress Scale
reported impaired daily functioning indicated by a score of >16 on World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale

Exclusion criteria

imminent suicide risk (assessed with the PM+ manual suicidal thoughts interview)
severe mental disorders (e.g., psychotic disorders) or cognitive impairment (e.g., severe intellectual disability (assessed by the PM+ manual observation checklist)