EMDR bij getraumatiseerde asielzoekers en vluchtelingen: Verschil in effectiviteit tussen visuele en auditieve stimulatie EMDR with traumatized asylum seekers and refugees: difference in effectiveness between visual and auditory stimulation

Objective: Recent studies suggest that eye movements are the most effective form of stimulation in EMDR, but this assertion is based primarily on studies using the general population. This study evaluated whether tones and eye movements in EMDR are equally effective in reducing symptoms of trauma, anxiety and depression among asylum seekers and refugees, who are diagnosed with PTSD. As a control the entire EMDR condition was compared with a waiting list condition, who received no treatment. Method: In the present study 43 asylum seekers and refugees in the age of 20 to 73 years, who were indicated for treatment at Stichting Centrum ’45, participated. They were assigned to three different conditions: EMDR with eye movements, EMDR with tones or no treatment. The patients were not randomly assigned to the three conditions. Trauma symptoms were measured with the CAPS and HTQ and anxiety and depression symptoms with the HSCL-25. Results: Both tones and eye movements in EMDR lead to a reduction in symptoms of trauma, according to the HTQ. When trauma symptoms are reported according to the CAPS both conditions do not lead to a significant reduction in complaints. Concerning symptoms of anxiety and depression both conditions lead to a reduction in symptoms. Again there is no difference between tones and eye movements. It appears that EMDR is not significantly better in reducing symptoms of trauma, compared to the waiting list condition. Both EMDR and no treatment do not lead to a significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression and there is no distinction between the conditions. Conclusion: Eye movements and tones lead to a significant reduction in symptoms of trauma, anxiety and depression, but this reduction is insufficient compared to the control condition. This is probably due to the small sample size of the present study. The present study implies that the theory that eye movements are more effective than tones in EMDR may not be generalizable to a complex group of patients, namely asylum seekers and refugees diagnosed with PTSD.

Dissertation/Thesis

Dutch

Anke van Nijnatten

van Nijnatten, A. (2012). [EMDR with traumatized asylum seekers and refugees: difference in effectiveness between visual and auditory stimulation]. (Master's thesis. Utrecht University). Retrieved from http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/student-theses/2012-0808(2005)26/Nijnatten%2c%20A%20van%203270998.pdf  on 5/3/19. Dutch