The Role of Eye Movements in EMDR: Conducting Eye Movements While Concentrating on Negative Autobiographical Memories Results in Fewer Intrusions

Abstract

In dismantling eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, researchers have found that the central executive is likely responsible for the effect of eye movements on negative memories. Arguably, however, researchers have not satisfactorily explained central executive mechanisms responsible. One possible central executive mechanism is that of suppression. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of eye movements on vividness, emotionality, and suppression of memories. Thirty-one nonclinical participants in Experiment 1 completed fast- and no-eye-movement conditions. Thirty-three nonclinical participants in Experiment 2 completed fast-, slow-, and no-eye-movement conditions. Number of intrusions during a suppression period and self-ratings of vividness and emotionality were the dependent variables in both experiments. Experiment 2 also included a measure of central executive capacity. Results from both experiments supported the hypotheses and showed that fast eye movements resulted in fewer intrusions than no- and slow-eye-movement conditions. Experiment 2 also found a correlation between number of intrusions after fast eye movements and central executive capacity. Limitations of this research are discussed as well as possibilities for future research and implications for understanding EMDR therapy.

The Potential for Computerized Eye Tracking Technology to Improve Bilateral Stimulation Methodology and Assessment

“…Both the American Psychological Association (APA) and UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) only conditionally recommend EMDR for the clinical treatment of PTSD 4 . The technique draws criticism due to the fact that the specific mechanism of change has yet to be identified 7 .…”

EMDR Therapy Overview

“…Many studies have focused on investigating the role of eye movements in EMDR to date (Acierno et al, 1994;Andrade et al, 1997;Barrowcliff et al, 2003Barrowcliff et al, , 2004Boudewyns & Hyer, 1996;Chemtob et al, 2000;Christman et al, 2003;Christman et al, 2006;Davidson & Parker, 2001;de Jongh et al, 2013;Devilly et al, 1998;Engelhard et al, 2010a;Engelhard et al, 2010b;Engelhard et al, 2011;Homer et al, 2016;Kavanagh et al, 2001;Kearns and Engelhard, 2015;Kuiken et al, 2002;Kuiken et al, 2010;Lohr et al, 1995;Lohr et al, 1996;MacCulloch, 2006;Nieuwenhuis et al, 2013;Parker et al, 2009;Patel & McDowall, 2016;Pitman et al, 1996;Propper & Christman, 2008;Renfrey & Spates, 1994;Rimini et al, 2016;Sack et al, 2016;Samara et al, 2011;Sanderson & Carpenter, 1992;Schubert et al, 2011;Servan-Schreiber et al, 2006;Sharpley et al, 1996;Smeets et al, 2012;Solomon et al, 1992;van den Hout et al, 2001;van den Hout et al, 2011van Etten & Ta...…”

Randomized controlled trial of motion-assisted exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder after mild traumatic brain injury, with and without an eye movement task

“…To date, all published 3MDR studies have incorporated the full treatment paradigm, but the eye movement element, patterned after EMDR with rapid horizontal back-and-forth eye movements, has been a controversial feature within the EMDR paradigm itself. Some assessments of the role of eye movement tasks have been conducted in non-clinical, undergraduate or healthy participant populations (Schubert et al, 2011;van den Hout et al, 2010;Patel and McDowall, 2016;Samara et al, 2011), which may not necessarily be generalizable to combat veterans with PTSD. A 2013 metaanalysis of the contribution of eye movements, encompassing 15 clinical trials that compared EMDR therapy with and without eye movements, did identify a moderate effect size for the eye movement element of EMDR (Lee and Cuijpers, 2013), but there were methodologic limitations to many of the studies that had been conducted.…”