Efficacy of the eye movement desensitization procedure in the treatment of traumatic memories

Summary & key facts

Researchers tested a therapy called Eye Movement Desensitization (EMD) with 22 people who had upsetting memories from events like war, childhood sexual abuse, assault, or emotional abuse. Each person had one EMD session. The study found that, after that single session, people felt much less upset by the traumatic memory, thought about it in a less negative way, and showed fewer related problems such as upsetting thoughts and sleep trouble. These improvements stayed noticeable when people were checked again after one month and three months. Because this was a small study without a comparison group, we can’t be sure the same results would happen for everyone.

Key facts:

• The study included 22 people who had lasting problems linked to a specific traumatic memory, like intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, sleep problems, low self-esteem, and relationship trouble.
• Each person received one session of the Eye Movement Desensitization (EMD) procedure.
• Researchers measured how anxious people felt, how true a positive self-statement felt to them, and the main problems they had before treatment, and then again one month and three months later.
• After the single EMD session, participants reported much less distress about the traumatic memory and viewed the situation in a more positive or accurate way.
• The improvements reported after treatment were still present at the one-month and three-month follow-ups.
• The study was small and did not report comparing EMD to another treatment or to no treatment, so the results should be seen as preliminary rather than definitive.

Abstract

Abstract The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the recently developed Eye Movement Desensitization (EMD) procedure on traumatic memory symptomatology. Twenty‐two subjects suffering from symptoms related to traumatic memories were used in the study. All had been victims of traumatic incidents concerning the Vietnam War, childhood sexual molestation, sexual or physical assault, or emotional abuse. Memories of the traumatic incident were pivotal to the presenting complaints which included intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, sleep disturbances, low self‐esteem, and relationship problems. Dependent variables were (1) anxiety level, (2) validity of a positive self‐statement/assessment of the traumatic incident, and (3) presenting complaints. These measures were obtained at the initial session and at 1‐ and 3‐month follow‐up sessions. The results of the study indicated that a single session of the EMD procedure successfully desensitized the subjects' traumatic memories and dramatically altered their cognitive assessments of the situation, effects that were maintained through the 3‐month follow‐up check. This therapeutic benefit was accompanied by behavioral shifts which included the alleviation of the subjects' primary presenting complaints.

Topics

Child Abuse and Trauma Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending

Categories

Clinical Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Anxiety Clinical psychology Cognition Desensitization (medicine) Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing Injury prevention Internal medicine Medical emergency Medicine Neuroscience Poison control Posttraumatic stress Psychiatry Psychology Receptor Sexual abuse Traumatic memories

Conditions & symptoms

Anxiety Anxiety or worry Poor sleep Sadness or low mood