A controlled study of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disordered sexual assault victims

Efficacy of EMDR compared to a no-treatment wait-list control in the treatment of PTSD in adult female sexual assault victims.

Article Abstract

“Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a new method developed to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study evaluated the efficacy of EMDR compared to a no-treatment wait-list control in the treatment of PTSD in adult female sexual assault victims. Twenty-one subjects were entered, and 18 completed. Treatment was delivered in four weekly individual sessions. Assessments were conducted pre- and posttreatment and 3 months following treatment termination by an independent assessor kept blind to treatment condition. Measures included standard clinician- and self-administered PTSD and related psychopathology scales. Results indicated that subjects treated with EMDR improved significantly more on PTSD and depression from pre- to posttreatment than control subjects, leading to the conclusion that EMDR was effective in alleviating PTSD in this study.”

—Description from publisher

Article Access

Open Access

Rothbaum, B. (1997). A controlled study of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disordered sexual assault victims. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 61, 317-334. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/13960568