Systematic Review of Psychotherapies and Meta-Analysis of Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Narrative Exposure Therapy for Treating Earthquake-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Objective: Several primary studies examined the effectiveness of various psychotherapies in treating earthquake-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Variations in methods, employed psychotherapy approaches, and differences across studies warrant a systematic review and meta-analysis. Method: In this study, first, a systematic review of experimental studies aiming to reduce the symptoms of PTSD in the aftermath of an earthquake was carried out. Second, a meta-analysis of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and narrative exposure therapy (NET) was conducted. Results: Several psychological treatments were used for treating earthquake-related PTSD. However, only CBT and NET were tested in multiple studies. Meta-analysis results suggested that CBT and NET significantly reduce earthquake-related PTSD symptoms compared to control groups. Conclusions: Results suggest that CBT and NET are promising psychological treatment options. Further research on NET and other major PTSD interventions (e.g., prolonged exposure, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, cognitive processing therapy) is needed.