Child-Parent Psychotherapy After the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake

NCT07040462 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: CPP-Kahramanmaras-RCT-2025
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) in reducing trauma-related symptoms and improving attachment quality among preschool-aged children who experienced the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye. A total of 60 caregiver-child dyads (children aged 3-6) will be recruited from 11 earthquake-affected provinces. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group, receiving 12 weekly CPP sessions, or a no-intervention control group. CPP will be delivered by trained clinical psychologists through either online or face-to-face sessions. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, mid-intervention (after session 6), and post-intervention (after session 12). Outcomes include child trauma symptoms, social-emotional functioning, and attachment quality, as well as caregiver reflective functioning, stress, and emotional well-being.

Conditions

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Complex; Emotional Dysregulation

Keywords

Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP); Trauma Therapy; Preschool Children; Kahramanmaraş Earthquake

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Child Trauma Symptom Severity

  Child trauma symptoms will be assessed using the Child PTSD Reaction Index (CPTSD-RI), a 20-item caregiver-report scale developed to evaluate post-traumatic stress reactions in children following exposure to traumatic events. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (none) to 4 (most of the time), yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 80. Higher scores reflect greater severity of PTSD symptoms, with cutoffs indicating doubtful (0-11), mild (12-24), moderate (25-39), severe (40-59), and very severe (60-80) symptom levels. The measure will be administered at three time points: baseline (Week 0), mid-treatment (Week 6), and post-treatment (Week 12).

  From baseline (Week 0) to 12 weeks post-intervention.

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Change in Child Social-Emotional Functioning

  From baseline (Week 0) to 12 weeks post-intervention.

• Change in Child Attachment Security

  From baseline (Week 0) to 12 weeks post-intervention.

• Change in Parental Reflective Functioning

  From baseline (Week 0) to 12 weeks post-intervention.

• Change in Parenting Stress

  From baseline (Week 0) to 12 weeks post-intervention

• Change in Caregiver Depression, Anxiety, and Stress

  From baseline (Week 0) to 12 weeks post-intervention.

Study Arms (2)

Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this arm will receive 12 weekly Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) sessions, each lasting approximately 60 minutes. CPP is a trauma-informed, attachment-based intervention that integrates psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and developmental principles. Sessions are dyadic (child and caregiver together) and may be conducted face-to-face or online. Therapists are trained clinical psychologists. The intervention focuses on emotional regulation, trauma narrative development, and strengthening the caregiver-child bond.

Behavioral: Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)

No-Treatment Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in this arm will receive no psychological intervention during the 12-week study period. They will, however, complete outcome assessments at the same three timepoints as the intervention group (baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention).

Interventions

Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) BEHAVIORAL

CPP is a structured, evidence-based dyadic therapy designed for children aged 0-6 exposed to trauma and their caregivers. The intervention involves weekly joint sessions emphasizing safety, emotional expression, and caregiver reflective functioning. Delivered by trained psychologists either online or in person.

Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 3 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Children aged 3 to 6 years old at the time of enrollment
• Resided in one of the 11 cities affected by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake (e.g., Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, Malatya, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Adana, Osmaniye, Diyarbakır, Kilis, Elazığ)
• Exposure to at least one qualifying traumatic event due to the earthquake (e.g., witnessing injury or death, loss of home, separation from caregiver)
• Living with a primary caregiver (mother or father) who consents to participate in the study
• Both caregiver and child are available to participate in 12 weekly sessions of CPP (online or face-to-face)
• Caregiver is fluent in Turkish and able to complete self-report questionnaires

You may not qualify if:

• Child or caregiver currently receiving psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment
• Child diagnosed with developmental disorder (e.g., autism, intellectual disability) that significantly impairs communication or relational functioning
• Caregiver with a diagnosed severe psychiatric disorder (e.g., psychosis, bipolar disorder) or active substance use disorder
• Families with ongoing legal custody disputes or instability that may interfere with consistent participation
• Inability to access internet or digital device (for participants randomized to online therapy)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Beykoz University: lead
• Istanbul Nisantasi University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Beykoz University

Istanbul, Istanbul, 34340, Turkey (Türkiye)

RECRUITING

Central Study Contacts

Eda Yılmazer, Phd

CONTACT

+905322575880; edayilmazer@beykoz.edu.tr

Metin Çınaroğlu, Phd

CONTACT

+9053247320; metincinaroglu@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Dr

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two parallel arms: (1) Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) or (2) No-treatment control. Each participant remains in their assigned arm throughout the 12-week study.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 18, 2025
• First Posted: June 27, 2025
• Study Start: June 15, 2025
• Primary Completion: October 15, 2025
• Study Completion: November 15, 2025
• Last Updated: June 27, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ANALYTIC CODE
• Time Frame: Data will be made available 6 months after publication of the study results and remain accessible for 5 years.
• Access Criteria: Requests should be submitted to the principal investigator and will be evaluated based on the scientific validity and ethical compliance of the proposal.

Locations

TU (1)