Comparing the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing to treatment as usual for veterans with military-related post-traumatic stress disorder

This quantitative study of 13 veterans living in a residential treatment program for substance abuse and homelessness was designed to measure the impact of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) EMDR as compared to treatment as usual (TAU) (talk therapy) on military-related PTSD and commonly co-occurring symptoms of depression and anxiety. Each subject was administered the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and three self-report measures including the Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-II); Post-Traumatic Check List, Military version (PCL-M) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, State only (STAI) at pretreatment, posttreatment and follow-up at one month. Participants ranged in age from 23–62 and represented each major area of military conflict since Vietnam to the present day. The current study indicated that EMDR is a superior treatment over TAU for two of the three PTSD symptom clusters, namely Reexperiencing Symptoms as well as Avoidance and Numbing. EMDR appeared to help reduce the frequency and intensity of reexperiencing prior traumatic events such as through dreams and flashbacks. Neither EMDR nor TAU had a statistically significant effect on reducing the commonly co-occurring symptoms of depression and anxiety. However EMDR generated clinically relevant decreases in PTSD and depression symptoms. The results indicate that further study with a larger sample size may provide stronger evidence that EMDR is a suitable alternative treatment to talk therapy for military-related PTSD.

Dissertation/Thesis

English

Catherine M. Butler

Butler, C. M. (2012, August). Comparing the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing to treatment as usual for veterans with military-related post-traumatic stress disorder. (Doctoral dissertation, Argosy University)