Stress management with law enforcement personnel:  A controlled outcome study of EMDR versus a traditional stress management program

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has been shown to be effective for treating PTSD, but its efficacy as a stress management tool for normal individuals in highly stressful occupations has not been demonstrated. 62 police officers were randomly assigned to either EMDR or a standard stress management program (SMP), each consisting of 6 hours of individualized contact. At completion, officers in the EMDR condition provided lower ratings on measures of PTSD symptoms, subjective distress, job stress, and anger; and higher marital satisfaction ratings than those in SMP. The effects of EMDR were maintained at the 6-month follow-up, indicating enduring gains from a relatively brief treatment regimen for this subclinical sample of officers who were experiencing some level of stress from their job.

Journal

English

Sandra A. Wilson
Robert H. Tinker
Lee A. Becker
Carol R. Logan

Wilson, S. A., Tinker, R. H., Becker, L. A., & Logan, C. R. (2001, July). Stress management with law enforcement personnel: A controlled outcome study of EMDR versus a traditional stress management program. International Journal of Stress Management, 8(3), 179-200. doi:10.1023/A:1011366408693