Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Diğer Ülkelerden Üniversiteler Tarafından Desteklenmiş Proje, 2024 - 2026
The 2023 earthquake in Turkey wrought immense devastation, displacing thousands, inflicting profound trauma and grief upon survivors. Recognizing the urgent need for innovative interventions, our project aims to implement tailored group therapy sessions for bereaved individuals, addressing traumatic grief and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychotherapy, particularly group therapy programs, has emerged as a valuable tool in facilitating emotional regulation and grief processing among disaster survivors. However, limited research exists on the effectiveness of group therapies, especially for individuals who have lost first-degree relatives in earthquakes. Understanding the psychological effects of earthquakes and exploring innovative interventions are paramount in addressing the long-term psychosocial needs of survivors. By integrating cognitive therapy with neuroscientific insights gleaned from Electroencephalography (EEG) measurements, we endeavor to offer novel strategies for emotional regulation and healing, thereby enhancing post-disaster psychosocial support and resilience.
Our immediate goal is to assess the efficacy of the Grief-Focused Psychosocial Support program, shedding light on future psychosocial interventions post-disaster. Key objectives include evaluating trauma and grief responses using EEG techniques, comparing pre- and post-test scores, and analyzing emotional brain regions. Key activities encompass recruitment, implementation of group therapy sessions, EEG data collection, and statistical analysis. Collaborating across disciplines, including neuroscientists, psychologists, social scientists, and legal experts, ensures a comprehensive approach to understanding trauma and grief. Student involvement from the USA and Turkey enriches the project with diverse perspectives and fosters cross-cultural learning. Esteemed faculty members from Columbia University Medical Center will enable state-of-the-art medical and scientific practices and knowledge exchange with Columbia University and the region through Drs. Cokluk and Sanlier. Expected outputs include the successful execution of the group therapy program, acquisition of EEG data, and comparative analysis of emotional brain regions. Anticipated outcomes entail an enhanced understanding of psychosocial interventions, improvements in trauma and psychological symptom scores, and the establishment of best practices for post-disaster support as well as knowledge transfer to the region. The interdisciplinary nature of our project is crucial in addressing the multifaceted challenges of psychosocial recovery. Leveraging insights from neuroscientific research, we seek to deepen our understanding of trauma and grief responses at the neural level. Collaborations across disciplines offer a comprehensive approach to post-disaster psychosocial support. Through rigorous research methodologies and interdisciplinary collaborations, our project aspires to inform evidence-based practices, influence policy recommendations, and contribute to the resilience and well-being of earthquake-affected communities in Turkey, as well as generating a model that can be further adapted to other disaster zones in the future around the world through Columbia Global Centers.