Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) practitioners’ beliefs about memory.

Abstract

Word count (excluding abstract): 5060Abstract Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a widely used treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. The idea behind EMDR is that lateral eye movements may mitigate the emotional impact of traumatic memories. Given the focus on changing patients' memories, it is important that EMDR practitioners have detailed knowledge about human memory. We explored beliefs and ideas about memory in samples of EMDR practitioners (Study 1: n = 12; Study 2: n = 41), students (Study 1: n = 35; Study 2: n = 24), and researchers (Study 2: n = 30). All groups seemed to be aware of the fallibility of memory.However, a majority of the surveyed EMDR practitioners (70-90%), students (around 90%), and researchers (66.7%) endorsed the controversial idea of repressed memories. Scepticism and endorsement of problematic ideas about memory-related topics may co-exist within one and the same group. In clinical settings, this might be problematic, because a strong belief in repressed memories might lead therapists to suggestively seek for such memories in patients.

Beliefs About Children’s Memory and Child Investigative Interviewing Practices: A Survey in Dutch Child Protection Professionals from ‘Safe Home’

“…We selected these statements because they cover important topics for professionals working with child abuse cases (e.g., statements on suggestion and memory) and having wrong beliefs could have implications for their (field) work (e.g., suggestive interviewing techniques). The selected statements have been used in several earlier studies (e.g., Patihis et al, 2013;Ost et al, 2017;Houben et al, 2019). The statements were translated into Dutch by three independent individuals: one Master student in forensic psychology, one Ph.D. student, and a professor of Forensic Psychology chose the translation that fit best.…”

Belief in Unconscious Repressed Memory Persists

“…First, several researchers have explicitly asked participants about their belief in unconscious repressed memory. For example, Houben and colleagues (2019) asked therapists who practice the widely used technique of eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) whether “the mind is capable of unconsciously blocking out memories of traumatic events.” EMDR is a highly popular intervention for posttraumatic stress disorder ( Cuijpers et al, 2020 ). In two studies, Houben and colleagues showed that large percentages of small samples of EMDR therapists agreed with this statement (Study 1: 91.6%, 11/12; Study 2: 70.7%, 29/41).…”

Teaching psychology students to change (or correct) controversial beliefs about memory works

“…We argue that this view is flawed for the following reasons. First, when asked specifically about their belief in unconscious repression, participants' agreement rates are still high, ranging from 59 to 90% (e.g., Houben et al, 2019). Furthermore, in a recent study, participants answered two follow-up items to indicate what they actually meant when they endorsed the view that Traumatic memories are often repressed (Otgaar et al, 2020).…”

“…People seem to share experts' views about some aspects of memory. For example, most laypeople agree that memory does not work like a video camera (e.g., Brewin et al, 2019;Houben et al, 2019; but see Simons & Chabris, 2011). However, there is also consistent evidence that people continue to believe in the existence of unconscious repressed memories (Dodier et al, in press;Otgaar et al, 2019, in press).…”