The current status of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)

Abstract

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) has increasingly been proposed as an effective therapeutic procedure for post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health problems. However, views on EMDR in the research literature have been polarized. Reasons for this are explored as is the nature and theoretical basis of EMDR. Fifteen controlled studies thus far published on EMDR and PTSD are reviewed, and it is concluded that (i) EMDR is an effective psychotherapy, (ii) EMDR's relative efficacy in comparison to behavioural exposure therapies has yet to be established, (iii) the role of eye movements and laterality in attentional focus remains controversial and (iv) a direct link between the theoretical basis of the therapy and observable psychological and neurobiological changes has yet to be established.

Interhemispheric Interaction and Saccadic Horizontal Eye MovementsImplications for Episodic Memory, EMDR, and PTSD

“…Although the clinical effi cacy of EMDR has been demonstrated (e.g., Russell, 2006;Tufnell, 2005), the therapy remains controversial, in large part because of a lack of knowledge of its underlying neural mechanisms (e.g., Spector & Read, 1999).We suggest that because EMDR helps patients overcome memory dysfunction associated with PTSD, it is possible that EMDR is effi cacious due to its action on neuroanatomical structures involved in memory. In particular, we have proposed that the alternating left-right stimulation used in EMDR facilitates episodic memory via neural mechanisms involved in hemispheric communication.…”

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

“…As noted in multiple reviews, such as Chemtob et al (2000), Feske (1998), Spector & Read (1999), the results concerning the importance of eye movements in EMDR are inconclusive. However, of particular interest in this debate are the results of independent researchers (Andrade, Kavanagh & Baddely, 1997) (a study now replicated by Van den Hout et al (2001), and Kavanagh et al (2001)), showing that eye movements significantly reduce the vividness of emotive and traumatic imagery.…”

Psychological Intervention for Disorders Stemming from Mass Violence and Genocide: A Case of Kurdish Survivors

“…This model assumes that traumatic event is left unprocessed, since immediate biological reactions to the mental trauma have left it in a neuro-biological isolation (Spector and Read, 1999).The underlying mechanism for this therapy is to lead the unprocessed information to an acceptable synchronization level. The hypotheses proposed for the underlying mechanisms of this treatment are derived from empirical findings about limbic system, neurobiology, trauma therapy, and sleep during rapid eye-movement stage.…”