BEN, TRAVMA VE AİLEM; ÇOCUK VE ERGENLERLE ÇALIŞIRKEN BÜTÜNCÜL BAKMAK: DÜZCE DEPREMİ ÖRNEĞİ (ME, TRAUMA AND MY FAMILY; TAKING A HOLISTIC APPROACH WHEN WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: THE CASE OF THE DÜZCE EARTHQUAKE)

BEN, TRAVMA VE AİLEM; ÇOCUK VE ERGENLERLE ÇALIŞIRKEN BÜTÜNCÜL BAKMAK: DÜZCE DEPREMİ ÖRNEĞİ (ME, TRAUMA AND MY FAMILY; LOOKING HOLISTICALLY WHEN WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: DUZCE EARTHQUAKE EXAMPLE)

 

 

Nalan Saban (1), Umran Korkmazlar (2), Hayal Demirci (3)

 

1) Donusum Counseling Center 2) Fide Counseling Center 3) Special Dokuz Eylul Counseling Center

 

Translated by: Specialist Psychologist Gizem Pozam

 

INTRODUCTION

Research on trauma shows that children perceive events through the eyes of their parents or other adults. Adults' reactions to such events, their efforts to restore normality to their daily lives, and the explanations they give their children about the event provide clues to children's perceptions of and reactions to disasters and traumatic events in general (Newman, 1976). For these reasons, psychological support should be planned for both children and adults.

 

This study presents the EMDR treatment provided to 10 children and adolescents who experienced earthquake trauma and their parents, along with its outcomes, based on the hypothesis that providing EMDR to child and adolescent clients and their parents concurrently after the earthquake would reduce PTSD symptoms and positively affect social functioning.

 

METHODOLOGY

Following the 2022 Düzce earthquake, 10 child and adolescent clients (n: 10, aged 2–18 years) were included in the study. Before and after the EMDR sessions, Trauma Symptom List and Fide SUD scores for children were recorded for the participating child and adolescent clients, and ACE and SUD scores were recorded for their parents. Clients received 5–8 sessions of child and adolescent EMDR lasting 45–90 minutes, while their parents received R-TEP.

 

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results of this study indicate that providing EMDR to both children and adolescents and their family members after an earthquake can reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms and improve adjustment to daily routines and functioning.

 

The study confirmed the effectiveness of involving the family when working with children and adolescents in EMDR in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms. Parents and children were observed to return to their daily routines more quickly.

 

First hypothesis:

Parents who had experienced the 1999 Düzce earthquake were observed to participate more in the study.

 

Second hypothesis:

When parents participated in the study, their children also showed a significant decrease in SUD scores, directly proportional to that of their parents.

 

Third hypothesis:

When parents participated in the sessions, the family was observed to return to its routine more quickly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ME, TRAUMA AND MY FAMILY; LOOKING HOLISTICALLY WHEN WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: DUZCE EARTHQUAKE EXAMPLE

 

Nalan Saban(1), Ümran Korkmazlar (2), Hayal Demirci (3)

 

1) Donusum Counseling Center 2) Fide Counseling Center 3) Special Dokuz Eylül Counseling Center

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

Research on trauma shows that children perceive events through the eyes of their purents or other adults. Adults' reactions to such events, their efforts to normalize their daily lives, their explanations to their children about the event give clues about children's perceptions and reactions to catastrophe and traumatic events in general (Newman, 1976). For these reasons, psychological support should be planned for both children and adults.

 

In this study, assuming that the application of EMDR in the same sequence as the parents of child and adolescent clients after the earthquake will decrease the symptoms of PTSD and positively affect social functionality, we present the EMDR applied to 10 earthquake-traumatic childrend adolescents and parents and its results.

 

METHODOLOGY

2022 Düzce earthquake, 10 Child& Adolescent consultants (n: 10, aged 2-18) were included in the study. The child and adolescent clients' Trauma Symptom List and Sud scores for Fide Children and ACE and SUD scores for parents were recorded before and after the EMDR sessions of the patients participating in the study. 5-8 sessions of 45-90 minutes of Child& Adolescent EMDR were applied to the clients and R-TEP was applied to their parents.

 

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results of this study show that EMDR application after the earthquake with both children and adolescents and family members can reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms and increase compliance with vital routines and functionality.

 

The  study confirmed the effectiveness of involving the family while working with children and adolescents in EMDR in reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress. It was observed that parents and children returned to their daily routines faster.

 

First hypothesis:

It was observed that parents who experienced the 1999 Düzce earthquake participated in the study more.

 

Second hypothesis:

When parents participated in the study, their children demonstrated a significant decrease in SUD scores in direct proportion to their parents.

 

Third hypothesis:

It has been noted that when parents participate in the studies, the family returns to their routine more quickly.