Child–Parent Relationship Therapy for Earthquake-Affected Preschoolers: A 1-Year Controlled Study


Bozkurt Karali M. N., ÖZKAN Y., FOTO ÖZDEMİR D.

Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, cilt.33, sa.2, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 33 Sayı: 2
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1002/cpp.70264
  • Dergi Adı: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Psycinfo
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: child PTSD, child–parent relationship therapy, earthquake, mother PTSD, parent–child relationship
  • Hacettepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of Child–Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) among earthquake-affected preschool children and their mothers in Türkiye. Method: Using a quasi-experimental controlled design, participants were assigned to experimental (n = 12), placebo (n = 12), and control (n = 12) groups. Parental empathy, parent–child relationship and children's posttraumatic emotional distress, affective and behavioural problems were assessed at pretest, posttest and 2-, 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Results: Mothers in the CPRT group showed significant improvements in empathy. Children's loneliness/sleep problems decreased short term, while emotional distress and impulsivity declined significantly at 1-year follow-up. However, fear/anxiety scores increased across all groups, and no significant group differences were found in emotional–behavioural problems or parent–child relationship scores. Conclusion: CPRT emerged as an effective intervention in some aspects of children's posttrauma well-being, yet ongoing environmental stressors and parents' psychological conditions limited the sustainability of therapeutic gains.