Utilisation de la thérapie EMDR – eye movement desensitization and reprocessing – pour le traitement du syndrome du sein fantôme : étude de casUsing eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) as a treatment for phantom breast syndrome: Case study

Description

Summary:
Purpose The aim of this research was to challenge the use of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in the treatment of the phantom breast syndrome.

Method:
Two patients agreed to participate in this study and were treated by EMDR therapy, focusing on two target types: traumatic events related to disease experience and phantom breast sensation. Quantitative evaluations were conducted before the first session, just after the last session and as a follow-up three and six months after. Intensity of the pain and intensity of the sensation were measured, as well as anxiety (through STAI) and depression (through CES-D). Qualitative evaluations completed these measures by paints of breast image made by the patients on the first and last sessions. Results: Results show the effectiveness of EMDR therapy on all quantitative measures, but also a qualitative and clinical change producing a modification of the body representation of patients and an effective reduction of the phantom breast syndrome.

Discussion:
esults show that EMDR approach can be an encouraging, non-invasive and relatively short strategy. While these results need to be completed by other studies covering a larger population and the use of a control group, they are still encouraging because they suggest that a psychological treatment based on EMDR techniques and adapted to the specificity of phantom breast syndrome could be effective in bringing relief to patients.

Format

Journal

Language

French

Author(s)

Marie-Jo Brennstuhl
Cyril Tarquinio
Sebastian Montel
Joanic Masson
Fanny Bassan
Pascale Tarquinio

Original Work Citation

Brennstuh, M.-J., Tarquinio, C., Montel, S., Masson, J., Bassan, F., & Tarquinio, P. (2014, December). ]Using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) as a treatment for phantom breast syndrome: Case study]. Sexologies, 24(2), 56-64  doi:10.1016/j.sexol.2014.09.004.  French

Citation

“Utilisation de la thérapie EMDR – eye movement desensitization and reprocessing – pour le traitement du syndrome du sein fantôme : étude de casUsing eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) as a treatment for phantom breast syndrome: Case study,” Francine Shapiro Library, accessed May 12, 2024, https://francineshapirolibrary.omeka.net/items/show/23479.

Output Formats