Open Access

ARTICLE

Effectiveness of an 8-Week Game-Based Physical Activity Program in Reducing Post-Traumatic Stress among Children Affected by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes

Burak Canpolat^1,*, Göktuğ Norman², Cemal Gündoğdu², Şakir Tüfekçi², Yalın Aygün², Taylan Akbuğa³

1 Department of Physical Education and Sport on Disabilities, Faculty of Sport Sciences, İnönü University, Malatya, 44100, Türkiye
2 Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, İnönü University, Malatya, 44100, Türkiye
3 Sümer Middle School, Physical Education and Sport Teaching, Malatya, 44090, Türkiye

* Corresponding Author: Burak Canpolat. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Enhancing Mental Health through Physical Activity: Exploring Resilience Across Populations and Life Stages)

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2025, 27(11), 1781-1795. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2025.069852

Received 02 July 2025; Accepted 27 October 2025; Issue published 28 November 2025

Abstract

Objectives: This study examines the effectiveness of an eight-week game-based physical activity program designed to reduce post-traumatic stress levels in children affected by the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes that occurred in Turkey on 06 February 2023. Following the earthquake, millions of children experienced significant changes in their education and living conditions, adversely affecting their psychological health. Methods: The therapeutic effects of physical activity on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are frequently emphasized in the literature, and this study specifically focuses on the impact of game-based exercises. The research employed an experimental design, involving 80 earthquake-affected children aged 10 to 13, who were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 40) or a control group (n = 40). The experimental group participated in game-based physical activities three times per week for eight weeks, with each session lasting 60 min. Data were collected using the Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index (CPTS-RI), and pre-test and post-test comparisons were conducted. Results: Children in the experimental group showed a marked reduction in PTSD symptoms, with mean CPTS-RI scores decreasing from 2.60 at pre-test to 1.91 at post-test. In contrast, the control group’s scores remained virtually unchanged (2.59 at pre-test vs. 2.57 at post-test). Two-way ANOVA demonstrated significant main effects of group and time, as well as a significant group × time interaction (F = 114.88, p < 0.001, η² = 0.42), indicating that the reduction was attributable to participation in the game-based physical activity program. These findings highlight not only the statistical significance but also the practical relevance of structured, culturally adapted physical activity interventions for trauma-exposed children. Conclusion: These findings suggest that regular, structured game-based physical activities can support the mental health of children following traumatic events such as earthquakes and reduce their stress levels. The study recommends integrating physical activity into post-disaster psychosocial support programs and highlights it as an effective, accessible, and enjoyable method to enhance children’s trauma coping skills. Accordingly, it advocates for the wider implementation of physical activity-based interventions in similar crisis situations.

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Keywords

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