Meta-analysis: Does eye movement desensitization reprocessing have a significant statistical difference in positive outcomes for recent veterans diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder than other accepted cognitive behavioral therapies?

As large numbers of combat veterans from the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have returned, the Department of Defense has identified and diagnosed around 13-15 % with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Over the past twenty years, clinicians have utilized different approaches to mitigate the symptoms of PTSD and many of these approaches have shown positive outcomes. The practitioners of Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) tout that their model, due to its ability to be used without the inclusion of homework, is superior to other models. This paper evaluates ten randomly selected case studies, at least three of which used EMDR, using evidenced based tools of evaluation. In eight of the ten models of treatment, researchers found significant positive outcomes and one model demonstrated a medium positive outcome. Across the studies there appeared to be consistency with other meta-analysis in general civilian populations in relation to effect size. In one case study for EMDR, the small sample size caused Cohen‟s effect size to be unreliable and omitted. Given the insignificant differences in positive outcome between the models reviewed, additional factors in a clinician's choice of treatment modalities should be considered.

Dissertation/Thesis

English

Michael Jackson

Jackson, M. (2010). Meta-analysis: Does eye movement desensitization reprocessing have a significant statistical difference in positive outcomes for recent veterans diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder than other accepted cognitive behavioral therapies? (Master's thesis, California State University)