@Article{ijmhp.2025.069852,
AUTHOR = {Burak Canpolat, Göktuğ Norman, Cemal Gündoğdu, Şakir Tüfekçi, Yalın Aygün, Taylan Akbuğa},
TITLE = {Effectiveness of an 8-Week Game-Based Physical Activity Program in Reducing Post-Traumatic Stress among Children Affected by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes},
JOURNAL = {International Journal of Mental Health Promotion},
VOLUME = {27},
YEAR = {2025},
NUMBER = {11},
PAGES = {1781--1795},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/IJMHP/v27n11/64651},
ISSN = {2049-8543},
ABSTRACT = {<b>Objectives:</b> 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. <b>Methods:</b> 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 (<i>n</i> = 40) or a control group (<i>n</i> = 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. <b>Results</b><b>:</b> 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, <i>p</i> < 0.001, η<sup>2</sup> = 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. <b>Conclusion:</b> 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.},
DOI = {10.32604/ijmhp.2025.069852}
}