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Three sessions to heal grief: EMDR therapy put to the test for earthquake survivors

NCT ID NCT07776769

Symptom relief Sponsor: Istanbul Bilgi University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 20, 2026 · Last updated Aug 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study tests whether a three-session EMDR grief protocol can reduce traumatic grief, PTSD symptoms, and emotional processing difficulties in adults who lost a loved one in the February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. Participants are randomly assigned to receive the therapy or no intervention, with changes in symptoms measured before and after. The goal is to see if this brief, structured therapy can help survivors process their loss and improve daily functioning.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
EMDR Grief Protocol, a three-session behavioral therapy for processing grief and trauma
What this could lead to
If effective, this brief therapy could offer a practical way to reduce traumatic grief and PTSD symptoms in earthquake survivors, potentially guiding larger-scale mental health responses after disasters.
What could go wrong
This is a small pilot study, so results may not be conclusive or widely applicable. The therapy requires a certified EMDR therapist, and its benefits may vary among individuals.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

78 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Feb 2025

Finished

Mar 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 65 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Aged 18 years or older. Experienced the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and lost a loved one. Literate. No active mental disorder such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. No cognitive impairment, such as severe memory loss, brain damage, or dementia. Had not received EMDR therapy following the earthquake. Voluntarily agreed to participate in the study. Exclusion Criteria: * Illiteracy. Presence of a physical or mental disorder that negatively affects judgment. Having received EMDR therapy following the earthquake

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

combat disorder post-traumatic stress disorder Prolonged Grief Disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Emotional processing Post traumatic stress disorder PTSD Traumatic grief

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Şişli Municipality

    Istanbul, şişli, 34381, Turkey (Türkiye)

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