The effectiveness and validity of the EMDR technique applied in the field of developmental psychology from maternity to early childhood. Poster presented at the EMDR Europe Association Conference, Virtual
Description
In this work, the effectiveness of the EMDR technique, applied to mothers in the postnatal and antenatal phase and to minors in the 0-3 age group, was analyzed through the use of different tools such as DES-II for adults (EB Carlson & FW Putnam ), the STAI form Y (CD Spielberger) and the TSCYC for subjects aged 3 to 12 (J. Briere), aimed at measuring certain parameters inherent to post-traumatic symptoms, administered in the pre and post treatment phase.
The clinical cases concern 3 patients who have a different history and course from each other, but have the common element of having experienced a traumatic or stressful event, causing a clinically significant discomfort: a young first-time mother, who had to face a dystocia birth , a woman, in her second pregnancy, who presents attachment problems with her first child, resulting from a traumatic birth and a 3-year-old child, who was seriously burned due to a domestic accident. The different sessions of each patient were analyzed in detail, highlighting the problems, concerns, fears of each and the EMDR technique was used as the main treatment technique, combined with a general function of empathic listening and support during the seat. After following these 3 different clinical cases for several months, at hospital and outpatient level, it was possible to highlight how the EMDR technique, in this small sample, was effective and profitable.
In the first clinical case, the improvement was evident and also visible weekly from one session to the next, and the various tests administered also produced results in line with the patient's entire journey. In fact, the items that were problematic in the DES-II test before treatment, especially concerning the sphere of memory intrusion, were not problematic after treatment, and also the anxious symptoms that emerged from the STAI test, definitely above the average before requesting help, decreased significantly after EMDR sessions, perfectly fitting the normative sample.
As for the second clinical case, the work carried out with the EMDR produced good results, managing to adaptively integrate the patient's traumatic and dysfunctional memories, which had undermined the bond of attachment between herself and the child. In this case the anxious component was very preponderant in the symptoms, as easily detectable by the STAI test.
The third clinical case was challenging for two reasons, the first due to the fact that the contact with the little patient took some time to come into contact, and the second reason was the language, because both the parents and the child Egyptian nationality, they spoke little Italian. Despite these initial difficulties, it was possible to work with the patient with the collaboration of the father, and it was found that the post-traumatic symptoms, highlighted by the TSCYC test, decreased after treatment with EMDR.
CLINICAL CASE I
• Sphere of intrusion: experiences intrusive images and flashbacks related to childbirth that cause her discomfort, annoyance, anxiety and pain -PRE TREATMENT:
• STAI test: or state anxiety = 60 mean: 39.62, standard deviation: 10.64 or trait anxiety = 65 mean: 42.06, standard deviation: 9.67)
• DES-II test: 8.9 -POST TREATMENT
• STAI test: or state anxiety = 32 mean: 39.62, standard deviation: 10.64 or trait anxiety = 41 mean: 42.06, standard deviation: 9.67)
• DES-II test: 1.07
CLINICAL CASE 2 avoidant insecure attachment, resulting from a suboptimal birth, emergency cesarean
• Sphere of intrusion: memory of childbirth causes intense feelings of anguish, anxiety and guilt and in general a negative mood
• Sphere of hyperactivation (irritability) and very high anxiety -PRE TREATMENT
• STAI test: or state anxiety = 68 mean: 39.62, standard deviation: 10.64 or trait anxiety = 52 mean: 42.06, standard deviation: 9.67)
• DES-II test: 16.7 -POST TREATMENT
• STAI test: or state anxiety = 34 mean: 39.62, standard deviation: 10.64 or trait anxiety = 36 mean: 42.06, standard deviation: 9.67) • DES-II test: 4.64 CLINICAL CASE 3
• Sphere of hyperactivation, avoidance and intrusion manifested through agitation, fear and fear of being touched (hospital environment) uncontrolled crying fits, nightmares and generally negative mood -PRE TREATMENT
• TSCYC test: problematic clinical scales (score> 65 T points): anxiety, depression, and PTSD scales (intrusion, avoidance, and arousal) -POST TREATMENT
• TSCYC test: net decrease in post-traumatic symptoms, depression and anxiety, PTSD avoidance clinical scale (T = 65) to be monitored.
The results highlight the efficacy and validity of the EMDR technique in the processing and complete integration of negative and traumatic memories, which allowed a significant decrease in post-traumatic symptoms in the clinical cases presented, also statistically documented by the tests used.
The clinical cases concern 3 patients who have a different history and course from each other, but have the common element of having experienced a traumatic or stressful event, causing a clinically significant discomfort: a young first-time mother, who had to face a dystocia birth , a woman, in her second pregnancy, who presents attachment problems with her first child, resulting from a traumatic birth and a 3-year-old child, who was seriously burned due to a domestic accident. The different sessions of each patient were analyzed in detail, highlighting the problems, concerns, fears of each and the EMDR technique was used as the main treatment technique, combined with a general function of empathic listening and support during the seat. After following these 3 different clinical cases for several months, at hospital and outpatient level, it was possible to highlight how the EMDR technique, in this small sample, was effective and profitable.
In the first clinical case, the improvement was evident and also visible weekly from one session to the next, and the various tests administered also produced results in line with the patient's entire journey. In fact, the items that were problematic in the DES-II test before treatment, especially concerning the sphere of memory intrusion, were not problematic after treatment, and also the anxious symptoms that emerged from the STAI test, definitely above the average before requesting help, decreased significantly after EMDR sessions, perfectly fitting the normative sample.
As for the second clinical case, the work carried out with the EMDR produced good results, managing to adaptively integrate the patient's traumatic and dysfunctional memories, which had undermined the bond of attachment between herself and the child. In this case the anxious component was very preponderant in the symptoms, as easily detectable by the STAI test.
The third clinical case was challenging for two reasons, the first due to the fact that the contact with the little patient took some time to come into contact, and the second reason was the language, because both the parents and the child Egyptian nationality, they spoke little Italian. Despite these initial difficulties, it was possible to work with the patient with the collaboration of the father, and it was found that the post-traumatic symptoms, highlighted by the TSCYC test, decreased after treatment with EMDR.
CLINICAL CASE I
• Sphere of intrusion: experiences intrusive images and flashbacks related to childbirth that cause her discomfort, annoyance, anxiety and pain -PRE TREATMENT:
• STAI test: or state anxiety = 60 mean: 39.62, standard deviation: 10.64 or trait anxiety = 65 mean: 42.06, standard deviation: 9.67)
• DES-II test: 8.9 -POST TREATMENT
• STAI test: or state anxiety = 32 mean: 39.62, standard deviation: 10.64 or trait anxiety = 41 mean: 42.06, standard deviation: 9.67)
• DES-II test: 1.07
CLINICAL CASE 2 avoidant insecure attachment, resulting from a suboptimal birth, emergency cesarean
• Sphere of intrusion: memory of childbirth causes intense feelings of anguish, anxiety and guilt and in general a negative mood
• Sphere of hyperactivation (irritability) and very high anxiety -PRE TREATMENT
• STAI test: or state anxiety = 68 mean: 39.62, standard deviation: 10.64 or trait anxiety = 52 mean: 42.06, standard deviation: 9.67)
• DES-II test: 16.7 -POST TREATMENT
• STAI test: or state anxiety = 34 mean: 39.62, standard deviation: 10.64 or trait anxiety = 36 mean: 42.06, standard deviation: 9.67) • DES-II test: 4.64 CLINICAL CASE 3
• Sphere of hyperactivation, avoidance and intrusion manifested through agitation, fear and fear of being touched (hospital environment) uncontrolled crying fits, nightmares and generally negative mood -PRE TREATMENT
• TSCYC test: problematic clinical scales (score> 65 T points): anxiety, depression, and PTSD scales (intrusion, avoidance, and arousal) -POST TREATMENT
• TSCYC test: net decrease in post-traumatic symptoms, depression and anxiety, PTSD avoidance clinical scale (T = 65) to be monitored.
The results highlight the efficacy and validity of the EMDR technique in the processing and complete integration of negative and traumatic memories, which allowed a significant decrease in post-traumatic symptoms in the clinical cases presented, also statistically documented by the tests used.
Format
Conference
Language
English
Original Work Citation
Fagliano, C., Oppedisano, C., & Violetta C. (2021, June). The effectiveness and validity of the EMDR technique applied in the field of developmental psychology from maternity to early childhood. Poster presented at the 20th EMDR Europe Association Conference, Virtual
Citation
“The effectiveness and validity of the EMDR technique applied in the field of developmental psychology from maternity to early childhood. Poster presented at the EMDR Europe Association Conference, Virtual,” Francine Shapiro Library, accessed May 8, 2024, https://francineshapirolibrary.omeka.net/items/show/26911.