The recently published article provides a discussion of the religiously sensitive, brief Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) protocol developed to support earthquake victims in the region following the 6th of February Kahramanmaraş earthquake. 

The study authored by Dr. Clinical Psychologist Taha Burak Toprak, Clinical Psychologist Hanne Nur Özçelik, and Dr. Clinical Psychologist Hatice Rumeysa Işık has been published in BMC Psychiatry, with the support of clinical psychologists and psychiatrists affiliated with our association. This case series  reports clinical outcomes associated with religiously adapted intervention in alleviating symptoms of Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) in a cohort of Muslim clients who experienced the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake. 

ASD is a condition that has the potential to cause significant impairment to an individual’s daily functioning, characterised by intense fear, sleep disturbances, physical tension, and a constant state of alertness. The CBT protocol employed in the study was a short-term one, incorporating fundamental CBT interventions such as standard psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, and the reduction of avoidance behaviours. This process was integrated with Islamic content, within a framework that was consistent with the client’s religious beliefs. Value-based behavioural interventions were also incorporated into the therapy.

This religious adaptation has made significant contributions to helping clients make sense of the disaster they experienced, balancing the feelings of guilt and helplessness that arose, and approaching the trauma with a more holistic perspective.

Consequently, participants exhibited a substantial reduction in trauma symptoms, an enhancement in daily functioning, and an augmentation in emotional resilience. Moreover, the enhancement was documented to endure for a period of one week, one month, and one year. This case series demonstrates the efficacy of culturally sensitive brief interventions following major traumas such as earthquakes in accelerating clients’ recovery process and increasing their commitment to psychotherapy.

The full text of the article can be accessed via the link below.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12888-025-07447-2.pdf