A new application in the intervention of post-traumatic stress symtoms related to earthquake: Movie technique

This research aimed to measure the effectiveness of a single-session Movie Technique intervention protocol based on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) principles in reducing trauma-related symptoms following the earthquake centered in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023. The study was conducted 7 months post-earthquake in Hatay with a total of 64 participants. The experimental group, consisting of 31 individuals, underwent the Movie Technique intervention protocol, while the control group comprised 33 individuals. Participants with a total PTSD symptom severity score (PCL-5) of 47 and above were included in the study. PTSD levels were measured using the PCL-5 scale before the intervention, one week after, and one month after the intervention. The results of the study demonstrated that the Movie Technique intervention protocol significantly reduced trauma-related symptoms emerging after the earthquake. The Movie Technique intervention protocol proves to be an effective method in reducing trauma-related symptoms following earthquakes, offering savings in terms of time and cost. This research contributes evidence of the efficacy of the Movie Technique intervention protocol in the literature.