| |
The following controlled EMDR studies have
been completed:
Boudewyns, Stwertka, Hyer, Albrecht, and Sperr (1993).
A pilot study randomly assigned 20 chronic inpatient
veterans to EMDR, exposure, and group therapy conditions and
found significant positive results from EMDR for self-reported
distress levels and therapist assessment. No changes were found
in standardized and physiological measures, a result attributed
by the authors to insufficient treatment time considering the
secondary gains of the subjects who were receiving compensation.
Results were considered positive enough to warrant further extensive
study, which has been funded by the VA. Preliminary reports
of the data (Boudewyns & Hyer, 1996) indicate that EMDR
is superior to a group therapy control on both standard psychometrics
and physiological measures.
Return to Top
Carlson, et al.(1998)
Tested the effect of EMDR on chronic combat veterans suffering
from PTSD since the Vietnam War. Within 12 session subjects
showed substantial clinical improvement, with a number becoming
symptom-free. EMDR proved superior to a biofeedback relaxation
control group and to a group receiving routine VA clinical care.
Results were independently evaluated on CAPS-1, Mississippi
Scale for PTSD, IES, ISQ, PTSD Symptom Scale, Beck Depression
Inventory, and STAI.
Return
to Top
Jensen (1994).
A controlled study of the EMDR treatment of 25 Vietnam combat
veterans suffering from PTSD, as compared to a non-treatment
control group, found small but statistically significant differences
after two sessions for in-session distress levels, as measured
on the SUD Scale, but no differences on the Structured Interview
for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (SI-PTSD), VOC, GAS, and
Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related PTSD (M-PTSD; Jensen, 1994).
Two psychology interns who had not completed formal EMDR training
did this study. Furthermore, the interns reported low fidelity
checks of adherence to the EMDR protocol and skill of application,
which indicated their inability to make effective use of the
method to resolve the therapeutic issues of their subjects.
Return to Top
Marcus et al.(1996)
Evaluated sixty-seven individuals diagnosed with PTSD in a controlled
study funded by Kaiser Permanente Hospital. EMDR was found superior
to standard Kaiser Care which consisted of combinations of individual,
and group therapy, as well as medication. An independent evaluator
assessed participants on the basis of the Symptom Checklist-90,
Beck Depression Inventory, Impact of Event Scale, Modified PTSD
Scale, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and SUD.
Return to Top
Pitman et al.(1996).
In a controlled component analysis study of 17 chronic outpatient
veterans, using a crossover design, subjects were randomly divided
into two EMDR groups, one using eye movement and a control group
that used a combination of forced eye fixation, hand taps, and
hand waving. Six sessions were administered for a single memory
in each condition. Both groups showed significant decreases
in self-reported distress, intrusion, and avoidance symptoms.
Return to Top
Renfrey and Spates (1994).
A controlled component study of 23 PTSD subjects compared EMDR
with eye movements initiated by tracking a clinician's finger,
EMDR with eye movements engendered by tracking a light bar,
and EMDR using fixed visual attention. All three conditions
produced positive changes on the CAPS, SCL-90-R, Impact of Event
Scale, and SUD and VOC scales. However, the eye movement conditions
were termed "more efficient."
Return to Top
Rothbaum (1997)
The controlled study of rape victims found that, after three
EMDR treatment sessions, 90% of the participants no longer met
full criteria for PTSD. An independent assessor evaluated these
results on the PTSD Symptom Scale, Impact of Event Scale, Beck
Depression Inventory, and Dissociative Experience Scale.
Return to Top
Scheck et al. (1998)
Sixty females’ ages 16-25 screened for high-risk behavior
and traumatic history were randomly assigned to two session
of either EMDR or active listening. There was substantially
greater improvement for EMDR as independently assessed on the
Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Penn
Inventory for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Impact of Event
Scale, and Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. Although the treatment
was comparatively brief, the EMDR treated participants came
within the first standard deviation compared to non-patient
norm groups for all five measures.
Return to Top
|
