EMDR Flash Group Protocol for Earthquake Survivors (FlashGP-EQ)

June 23, 2026 updated by: Çiğdem Kınık, Istanbul Galata University

Preliminary Effects of an Early EMDR Flash Group Intervention on Traumatic Stress, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms Among Earthquake Survivors: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluated the preliminary effects of the online EMDR Flash Group Protocol among adults affected by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye. Participants were randomly assigned to either the EMDR Flash Group Protocol or a waitlist control group. The primary outcome was change in posttraumatic stress symptoms measured by the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Secondary outcomes included depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms measured by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Outcomes were assessed at baseline and at 3-month follow-up.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The Kahramanmaraş earthquakes of February 2023 affected millions of people and were associated with substantial psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Early psychological interventions may help reduce acute distress and improve posttraumatic outcomes following disaster exposure.

This pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted approximately one month after the earthquakes. Adults affected by the disaster were recruited online and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either the EMDR Flash Group Protocol intervention or a waitlist control condition. The intervention was delivered online via Zoom by trained mental health professionals using a standardized protocol consisting of two group sessions.

The primary objective was to evaluate the preliminary effects of the EMDR Flash Group Protocol on posttraumatic stress symptoms. Secondary objectives were to evaluate changes in depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Outcomes were assessed using self-report measures at baseline and at 3-month follow-up.

This study was conducted as a pilot trial to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of the intervention following a large-scale natural disaster.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
410

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Istanbul
      • Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)
        • Istanbul Galata University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18 years or older
  • Present in the earthquake-affected region during the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes
  • Directly experienced the earthquake or were affected through disaster-related exposure
  • Ability to participate in online sessions
  • Access to the necessary technological equipment and internet connection
  • Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Intellectual disability
  • Current or past psychotic disorder (e.g., schizophrenia)
  • Bipolar disorder
  • History of severe head trauma
  • Inability to participate in the online intervention format

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: EMDR Flash Group Protocol
Participants received the online EMDR Flash Group Protocol delivered by trained mental health professionals. The intervention consisted of two group sessions lasting approximately 60 to 90 minutes and was conducted via Zoom approximately one month after the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes.
Behavioral: EMDR Flash Group Protocol
The EMDR Flash Group Protocol was delivered online via Zoom by trained mental health professionals. The intervention consisted of two group sessions lasting approximately 60-90 minutes and was administered approximately one month after the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes.
No Intervention: Waitlist Control
Participants assigned to the waitlist control group did not receive the EMDR Flash Group Protocol during the study period and completed the same assessment schedule as the intervention group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in PTSD Symptoms (PCL-5 Total Score)
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline (pre-intervention) and at 3-month follow-up.
Change in posttraumatic stress symptom severity measured by the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) total score from baseline to 3-month follow-up.
Assessed at baseline (pre-intervention) and at 3-month follow-up.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Depression Symptoms (DASS-21 Depression)
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline (pre-intervention) and at 3-month follow-up.
Change in depression symptom severity measured by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) Depression subscale from baseline to 3-month follow-up.
Assessed at baseline (pre-intervention) and at 3-month follow-up.
Change in Anxiety Symptoms (DASS-21 Anxiety)
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline (pre-intervention) and at 3-month follow-up.
Change in anxiety symptom severity measured by the DASS-21 Anxiety subscale from baseline to 3-month follow-up.
Assessed at baseline (pre-intervention) and at 3-month follow-up.
Change in Stress Symptoms (DASS-21 Stress)
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline (pre-intervention) and at 3-month follow-up.
Change in depression symptom severity measured by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) Depression subscale from baseline to 3-month follow-up.
Assessed at baseline (pre-intervention) and at 3-month follow-up.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Istanbul Galata University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 2, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 20, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 25, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 23, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 23, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 23, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • EMDRFLASHGP-2023-RCT

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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