Dual-tasking during recall of negative memories or during visual perception of images: Effects on vividness and emotionality

Cuperus, Anne A.; Laken, Maarten; Schie, Kevin van; Engelhard, Iris M.; Hout, Marcel A. van den

doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2018.10.003

Cited by 6 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…This initial search resulted in 24 potentially eligible articles. However, four of these studies were discarded because the manipulation (i.e., eye movements, alternative dual task, or control instruction) also involved some other task (e.g., presentations of screenshots of event, letter identification during eye movements, and a manipulation of the knowledge about EMDR; Cuperus et al, 2019; Kavanagh et al, 2001; Onderdonk & van den Hout, 2016; Littel, van Schie, & van den Hout, 2017). And five further studies had to be excluded because of missing data, although we did make an attempt to obtain the data by sending the first and/or second authors of these articles a request to share their data (Gunter & Bodner, 2008; Hornsveld et al, 2010; van den Hout et al, 2013; van den Hout, Engelhard, Beetsma, et al, 2011; van den Hout et al, 2012).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of eye movements and alternative dual tasks on the vividness and emotionality of negative autobiographical memories: A meta-analysis of laboratory studies

Houben

Otgaar

Roelofs

et al. 2020

Journal of Experimental Psychopathology

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Performing eye movements during memory retrieval is considered to be important for the therapeutic effect of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). We conducted a meta-analysis of laboratory studies that compared the effects of eye movements and/or alternative dual tasks (e.g., counting) on the vividness and emotionality of negative autobiographical memories with recall only (control) conditions. The databases PsycINFO and Web of Science were queried. Fifteen studies that involved 942 participants were included. Eye movements and alternative dual tasks produced similar vividness and emotionality decreases, with the impact on vividness being strong than that on emotionality. However, eye movements yielded a stronger overall vividness reduction than alternative dual tasks, although the associated effect size was small (Cohen’s d = .29). Because eye movements and alternative dual tasks produced comparable effects, one might conclude that both tasks are therapeutic equivalents. However, it should be acknowledged that only a limited number of laboratory studies were included in our meta-analysis, and the degree to which both procedures tax working memory was not independently established. Although our conclusion cannot be generalized to clinical practice, it does raise questions about the mode of action of EMDR.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of eye movements and alternative dual tasks on the vividness and emotionality of negative autobiographical memories: A meta-analysis of laboratory studies

Houben

Otgaar

Roelofs

et al. 2020

Journal of Experimental Psychopathology

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“…The latter is also an assumed mechanism of action of another trauma focused treatment, visual schema displacement therapy (32, 33). In addition, some studies highlight the need for optimal activation of the traumatic memory while performing a dual task (34,35). For example, Cuperus et al (34) suggested that displaying a screenshot representing a negative memory while performing a dual task led to a greater decrease of the emotionality of the memory than only recalling the memory while performing a dual task.…”

Section: Ptsd and Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, some studies highlight the need for optimal activation of the traumatic memory while performing a dual task (34,35). For example, Cuperus et al (34) suggested that displaying a screenshot representing a negative memory while performing a dual task led to a greater decrease of the emotionality of the memory than only recalling the memory while performing a dual task. Conversely, another study found that continuous and deliberate memory recall in addition to working memory taxing dual-tasks did not increase reductions in emotionality and vividness of negative autobiographical memories, when compared to dual tasks only (36).…”

Section: Ptsd and Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effectiveness, efficiency, and acceptability of EMDR vs. EMDR 2.0 vs. the Flash technique in the treatment of patients with PTSD: study protocol for the ENHANCE randomized controlled trial

Alting van Geusau,

de Jongh,

Nuijs

et al. 2023

Front. Psychiatry

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BackgroundSeveral widely studied therapies have proven to be effective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, there is still room for improvement because not all patients benefit from trauma-focused treatments. Improvements in the treatment of PTSD can be achieved by investigating ways to enhance existing therapies, such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, as well as exploring novel treatments. The purpose of the current study is to determine the differential effectiveness, efficiency, and acceptability of EMDR therapy, an adaptation of EMDR therapy, referred to as EMDR 2.0, and a novel intervention for PTSD, the so-called Flash technique. The second aim is to identify the moderators of effectiveness for these interventions. This study will be conducted among individuals diagnosed with PTSD using a randomized controlled trial design.MethodsA total of 130 patients diagnosed with (complex) PTSD will be randomly allocated to either six sessions of EMDR therapy, EMDR 2.0, or the Flash technique. The primary outcomes used to determine treatment effectiveness include the presence of a PTSD diagnosis and the severity of PTSD symptoms. The secondary outcomes of effectiveness include symptoms of depression, symptoms of dissociation, general psychiatric symptoms, and experiential avoidance. All patients will be assessed at baseline, at 4-week post-treatment, and at 12-week follow-up. Questionnaires indexing symptoms of PTSD, depression, general psychopathology, and experiential avoidance will also be assessed weekly during treatment and bi-weekly after treatment, until the 12-week follow-up. Efficiency will be assessed by investigating the time it takes both to lose the diagnostic status of PTSD, and to achieve reliable change in PTSD symptoms. Treatment acceptability will be assessed after the first treatment session and after treatment termination.DiscussionThis study is the first to investigate EMDR 2.0 therapy and the Flash technique in a sample of participants officially diagnosed with PTSD using a randomized controlled trial design. This study is expected to improve the available treatment options for PTSD and provide therapists with alternative ways to choose a therapy beyond its effectiveness by considering moderators, efficiency, and acceptability.Trial registrationThe trial was retrospectively registered in the ISRCTN registry at 10th November 2022 under registration number ISRCTN13100019.

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“…This is in line with WMT, which assumes that competition between two tasks is essential; that is, participants need to be engaged in both tasks (recalling a memory and another WM taxing task) simultaneously. Further, Cuperus, Laken, Van Schie, Engelhard, and Van den Hout (2019) showed that combining short exposure to a screenshot representing a negative memory and performing a dual task resulted in larger decreases in emotionality of the memory than just recalling the memory while performing a dual task. These results suggest improvements in EMDR therapy can be made by maximizing working memory load and effectively activating the trauma memory while taxing and reprocessing it.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of EMDR versus EMDR 2.0 on emotionality and vividness of aversive memories in a non-clinical sample

Matthijssen

Brouwers

Roozendaal

et al. 2021

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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Background: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a treatment meant to reduce vividness and emotionality of distressing memories. There is accumulating evidence that working memory taxation is the core of the working mechanism of EMDR therapy and that EMDR derives its effect by taxing the working memory (WM) with a dual task while actively keeping a disturbing memory in mind. From a theoretical stance, based upon assumptions derived from the WM theory, the effectiveness of EMDR therapy could be improved by several adaptations. Objectives: To test the assumption that integrating these elements into the standard EMDR protocol would enhance EMDR therapy, this adapted version of EMDR (i.e. EMDR 2.0), was compared to standard EMDR in a laboratory setting. It was hypothesized that EMDR 2.0 would be more efficacious than standard EMDR, and show a greater decrease in emotionality and vividness than standard EMDR therapy. Our second hypothesis was that EMDR 2.0 would be more efficient than standard EMDR in that this variant needs less session time and a smaller number of sets (i.e. approximately 30 seconds of WM taxation). Method: Non-clinical participants (N = 62, 79% female, mean age = 35.21) with a disturbing autobiographical memory were randomly allocated to receive either EMDR or EMDR 2.0. Emotionality and vividness of the memory were measured pre-and post-intervention, and at 1-and 4-week follow-up. Results: The results showed no difference between EMDR and EMDR 2.0 in decreasing emotionality and vividness, and no difference in session time. However, participants in the EMDR 2.0 condition needed fewer sets than those in the standard EMDR condition. Conclusion:The notion that EMDR 2.0 is more efficient is partially supported by the results showing participants needed less sets than in standard EMDR to reach the same results. Future research with clinical samples is warranted.

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Dual-tasking during recall of negative memories or during visual perception of images: Effects on vividness and emotionality

Cited by 6 publications

References 31 publications

The effects of eye movements and alternative dual tasks on the vividness and emotionality of negative autobiographical memories: A meta-analysis of laboratory studies

The effects of eye movements and alternative dual tasks on the vividness and emotionality of negative autobiographical memories: A meta-analysis of laboratory studies

The effectiveness, efficiency, and acceptability of EMDR vs. EMDR 2.0 vs. the Flash technique in the treatment of patients with PTSD: study protocol for the ENHANCE randomized controlled trial

The effect of EMDR versus EMDR 2.0 on emotionality and vividness of aversive memories in a non-clinical sample

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