The effectiveness of post-disaster psychotherapeutic interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis study

Objective: This study aimed to determine the level of impact of post-disaster psychotherapeutic interventions. Material method: For this systematic review and meta-analysis study, the studies were accessed through the databases of PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, and YÖK Thesis Center in July-September 2022 without any year limitation. As a result of the examinations, 27 studies were included in the study. The data were synthesized by meta-analysis and narrative methods. Results: According to the results of this systematic review and meta-analysis, post-disaster psychotherapeutic interventions were found to be effective (SMD:−0838, %95 CI: −1,087- 0.588; Z = −6588, p = 0.000, I2 = %95,249). Individuals who have undergone psychotherapeutic interventions experience either no or fewer post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. The country/continent of the research, the types of psychotherapeutic interventions, the type of disaster, and the measurement tool used influence the effectiveness of the psychotherapeutic interventions. Psychotherapeutic interventions applied especially after earthquakes, one of the types of disasters, were found to be effective. In addition, EMDR, cognitive behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, and exposure method were found to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in individuals in the post-disaster period. Conclusion: Post-disaster psychotherapeutic interventions have positive impacts on people and improve their mental health.