Mind-Body Intervention in Earthquake Survivors: 6 mo RCT

April 29, 2026 updated by: Emine Sağlamoğlu, Hacettepe University

Examining the Effect of Combined Mind-body Intervention in Earthquake Survivors: A 6 Months Follow-up Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a 4-week program called "Combined Mind-Body Intervention" can help survivors of the February 6, 2023, earthquakes manage stress and improve their ability to participate in daily activities. The study specifically aims to answer the following question: Does a program combining guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation lead to significant, long-term improvements in occupational performance (self-care, work, and leisure), reduced stress levels, and better overall quality of life for earthquake survivors when compared to a control group?

The study will involve:

Target Population: Adults aged 18 to 65 who directly experienced the 2023 earthquakes and currently reside in the affected region .Intervention: Participants in the intervention group will attend eight individual sessions (twice a week) focusing on deep breathing, step-by-step muscle relaxation, and guided visualization of peaceful environments.

Evaluation: Changes in stress, mood, and daily activity performance will be measured at the beginning of the study, at the end of the 4-week program, and during a 6-month follow-up period to determine the lasting effects of the intervention.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

26

Phase

  • 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 Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Being between 18 and 65 years old.
  • Having directly experienced the February 6, 2023 earthquake.
  • Currently residing in the earthquake zone.
  • Possessing sufficient cognitive and language skills to participate in assessments and the intervention.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Having an additional psychiatric or neurological disease diagnosis.
  • Having received non-pharmacological interventions (such as psychotherapy, CBT, art therapy, or meditation) before or during the study.
  • Currently using psychiatric medications.
  • Having a history of other physical (e.g., violence) or psychological trauma.
  • Being pregnant or currently breastfeeding.
  • Having a current substance addiction.
  • Demonstrating suicidal tendencies.

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: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Combined Mind-Body Intervention
his group receives 8 individual sessions, conducted twice weekly for 30 to 40 minutes.Each session consists of Jacobson's progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery techniques.Participants are also instructed to perform daily home practice
Other: combined mind-body intervention
The intervention consists of 8 individual sessions (30-40 mins, twice weekly) combining Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) and Guided Imagery. Sessions begin with 5 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing. PMR involves 15 minutes of tensing and relaxing specific muscle groups (limbs, face, trunk) to reduce physical tension. This is followed by 15 minutes of Guided Imagery, visualizing sensory-rich "safe places" (e.g., childhood gardens) to promote emotional regulation. Participants perform 15-minute daily home practice. Sessions take place in a quiet, dimly lit environment with relaxing music. For physiological standardization, participants avoid caffeine, nicotine, and food one hour before. This occupational therapy protocol aims to enhance participation in daily activities (self-care, work, leisure) and reduce stress levels
Active Comparator: Control Group (Routine Care & Monitoring)
Participants receive routine care along with supplemental support.They will be contacted by phone twice a week for 4 weeks by the investigator to monitor their general health status.The phone calls are limited to general status inquiries to minimize bias related to investigator attention.
Behavioral: Routine Care and Follow-up Phone Calls
Participants receive their standard routine care. Additionally, they will be contacted by phone twice a week for 4 weeks by the primary investigator to inquire about their general health and well-being. These calls are limited to status inquiries to ensure that any observed changes in the study are due to the intervention itself rather than the attention provided by the researcher.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) - Performance and Satisfaction Scores
Time Frame: Baseline, at the end of the 4-week intervention, and at the 6-month follow-up.
The COPM is a semi-structured interview used to identify and prioritize issues in occupational performance. Participants rate their perceived performance and satisfaction for their top five identified problem areas in daily activities (self-care, productivity, and leisure). Both scales use a 10-point Likert scale ranging from 1 ("not able to do it" or "not satisfied") to 10 ("able to do it extremely well" or "extremely satisfied") . Higher scores indicate better occupational performance and higher satisfaction.
Baseline, at the end of the 4-week intervention, and at the 6-month follow-up.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - Anxiety Sub-scale (HADS-A)
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, and Month 6.
This 7-item sub-scale specifically measures anxiety levels. Scores range from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate greater anxiety; lower scores reflect clinical improvement.
Baseline, Week 4, and Month 6.
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - Depression Sub-scale (HADS-D)
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, and Month 6.
This 7-item sub-scale specifically measures depression levels. Scores range from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate more severe depression; lower scores reflect clinical improvement.
Baseline, Week 4, and Month 6.
Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) Domain Scores
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, and Month 6.
Separate assessment of six domains: Physical Mobility (8 items), Pain (8 items), Sleep (5 items), Energy Level (3 items), Emotional Reactions (9 items), and Social Isolation (5 items). Each domain is scored from 0 to 100. Higher scores represent more severe problems in that specific area of health.
Baseline, Week 4, and Month 6.

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Hacettepe 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 (Estimated)

April 20, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

November 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 21, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 29, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 4, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 4, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 29, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2026-231

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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