Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in the treatment of anxiety as it pertains to work-related issues

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect Eye Movement Densitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has as a treatment protocol on work-related stressors. Today's faster pace, the growing perception of job insecurity, greater demands on the job, and inability to juggle family and work responsibilities has left millions of Americans to experience the debilitating effects of anxiety and stress. Many people lack the knowledge, resources, and strategies to effectively deal with such problems. The issue of stressors in work-related situations is costly and negatively impacts many individuals, organizations, and families. EMDR was found to be both effective and efficient in removing or substantially decreasing anxiety associated with work-related stressors and increase the association to positive cognitions. The data indicated both statistical and clinical improvement in all four areas of measure: subjective units of disturbance (SUD), verification of cognition (VOC), emotional state, and trait anxiety, after EMDR had been administered to members of the experimental group. This study found no statistical significance with these measures as they pertain to the control group. The three null hypotheses were rejected. Several different measures were employed to evaluate the statistical significance of the data produced by this study. Process measures of the verification of cognition (VOC) and subjective units of disturbance (SUD) scales were evaluated through paired sample t-tests. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the state and trait anxiety measures. Interactional analysis tested the hypotheses for interaction using repeated measures ANOVA with method and time. Pearson's product moment correlation tested for the association between two variables. Further study is recommended in both the conceptual and theoretical foundations of the EMDR protocol. Such research could lead to more effective and cost-efficient therapy for a wide range of problems affecting the individual, family, and the organization.

Dissertation/Thesis

English

Jeffrey Lynn Fannin

Fannin, J. L. (1998, February). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in the treatment of anxiety as it pertains to work-related issues. (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University)