A May 2026 randomized controlled trial examined remotely delivered EMDR in adult PTSD survivors of the 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquakes. Both remote EMDR and remote CBT reduced symptoms compared with a wait-list control.
A randomized controlled trial published in Frontiers in Psychiatry in May 2026 adds a source-specific reference point for clinicians following remote trauma-care research. The study enrolled 89 adult PTSD survivors of the 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquakes in Turkey and compared three conditions: remotely delivered EMDR, remotely delivered CBT, and a wait-list control. Both active treatments were delivered via telehealth and produced PTSD symptom reduction relative to the wait-list control, assessed through post-treatment.
What The Study Examined
The trial randomized 89 adult PTSD survivors of the 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquakes to remotely delivered EMDR, remotely delivered CBT, or a wait-list control. Both active treatments were delivered to adults affected by this specific mass trauma event, in a defined geographic and cultural context.
Both active treatment groups showed improvement compared with the wait-list control. The study provides evidence that remotely delivered EMDR and remotely delivered CBT were each associated with PTSD symptom reduction in this population, in this setting, assessed through post-treatment. The study does not report superiority of either active treatment over the other.
Reading The Study Carefully
As with any RCT, the findings apply to the population and context studied: 89 adult PTSD survivors of a specific disaster, in a specific cultural and geographic setting, assessed through post-treatment. Follow-up evaluation was planned separately, so this article should not be framed as reporting long-term outcomes.
The useful comparator context is inside the study itself: remotely delivered EMDR, remotely delivered CBT, and a wait-list control. Keeping those arms visible is what lets clinicians read the finding accurately.
Why It Matters For The Field
Clinicians following remote trauma-care research now have a well-designed RCT from a real post-disaster context to read closely. The evidence base for telehealth trauma care is still building, and each study that examines structured remote treatment in a real-world disaster setting adds something meaningful to the field.
For clinicians already tracking this research area, the article offers direct trial evidence that remotely delivered EMDR was associated with PTSD symptom reduction in this post-disaster sample, assessed through post-treatment, alongside remotely delivered CBT and a wait-list control.
A Related Research Item
A separate research item on group EMDR for disaster-affected adolescents involves a different population, a different delivery format, and a different design. It should not be merged with the adult RCT findings. The two warrant separate framing and separate source treatment.
Primary source: Frontiers in Psychiatry, May 2026 randomized controlled trial.
