Treating symptoms of complicated grief and posttraumatic stress disorder in homicidally bereaved individuals with cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR: A randomized controlled trial

Homicidally bereaved individuals may experience symptoms of Complicated Grief (CG) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in the treatment of these symptoms are promising, yet no prior study evaluated the effectiveness of these interventions in the treatment of psychopathology following homicidal loss. The effectiveness of an 8-session treatment encompassing CBT and EMDR to reduce self-rated CG and PTSD symptoms in 85 homicidally bereaved individuals was examined in a Randomized Controlled Trial. Four conditions were used: two intervention conditions, with (1) EMDR followed by CBT, and (2) CBT followed by EMDR, and two waitlist conditions with (3) EMDR followed by CBT, and (4) CBT followed by EMDR. The treatment was effective in reducing CG and PTSD symptoms, from pre-treatment to post-treatment. CG and PTSD symptoms decreased significantly when participants completed EMDR sessions (without CBT sessions), and after completing CBT sessions (without EMDR sessions). Both treatment orders (EMDR followed by CBT and CBT followed by EMDR) were equally effective in reducing CG and PTSD.

Dissertation/Thesis

English

Mariette van Denderen

van Denderen, M.  (2017 ). Treating symptoms of complicated grief and posttraumatic stress disorder in homicidally bereaved individuals with cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR: A randomized controlled trial. In Mariette van Denderen's, Grief Following Homicidal Loss (pp. 103-132). (Dissertation, University of Groningen)