A web- and mobile-based psychosocial recovery program for earthquake-affected nursing students: a multisite randomized controlled trial

University students affected by earthquakes may experience persistent psychological distress, impaired coping, and disruptions in health-related behaviors. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of a 12-week mobile- and web-based recovery program on post-earthquake trauma, coping strategies, health-promoting lifestyle behaviors, and emotional eating among university students affected by the February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakesin Türkiye. Students from three universities were screened using the Post-Earthquake Trauma Level Determination Scale (PETLDS). Eighty eligible volunteers were randomly allocated to intervention ( n = 40) and control ( n = 40) groups. The intervention comprised 12 weekly sessions incorporating psychoeducation, psychosocial support, coping strategies, and health promotion activities; the control group received no intervention. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention. Intervention effects were evaluated using 2 × 2 mixed-design analysis of variance, focusing on group × time interactions. Significant group × time interactions were observed for earthquake stress coping strategies ( F = 4.579, p = 0.035, ηp 2 = 0.055) and health-promoting lifestyle behaviors ( F = 5.079, p = 0.027, ηp 2 = 0.061). No significant interactions were found for post-earthquake trauma ( F = 3.542, p = 0.064) or emotional eating ( F = 0.018, p = 0.895). In secondary analyses adjusted for multiple comparisons, positive reappraisal and seeking social support showed significant between-group differences. The program improved adaptive coping and health-promoting lifestyle behaviors but did not demonstrate significant differential effects on overall trauma or emotional eating. Digital multicomponent interventions may offer a complementary approach to post-disaster student support, warranting further evaluation. Clinical trial registration https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06439030 , identifier (NCT06439030).