Clinician-reported eye movement desensitization and reprocessing use and organizational integration in Italian public and accredited healthcare services: An exploratory descriptive survey

This exploratory cross-sectional survey described clinician-reported patterns of EMDR use and organizational integration in Italian public and accredited healthcare services.

Resource Abstract

“Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is increasingly used across diverse clinical contexts, but little is known about its organizational integration in routine healthcare. Clinical use was considered as respondent-reported application of EMDR in care delivery, whereas organizational integration referred to formalization through structured projects, internal protocols, management recognition, workforce capacity, research or service-evaluation activity, and related governance processes. This exploratory cross-sectional survey described clinician-reported patterns of EMDR use and organizational integration in Italian public and accredited healthcare services. Seventy-two EMDR-trained professionals completed a questionnaire covering geographical and workplace characteristics, training level, current use, duration and settings of use, structured projects, internal protocols, management recognition, workforce, research activity, target populations, and perceived benefits. Data were summarized using frequencies and percentages, and open-ended responses were grouped into descriptive categories. EMDR was reported as actively used in 41 of 72 respondents’ workplaces (56.9%) and as experimental or noncontinuous in 20 (27.8%). Multisetting use was reported by 59 respondents (81.9%). However, 43 respondents (59.7%) reported no structured EMDR project, 32 (44.4%) reported no internal protocol or guideline, and only 12 (16.7%) reported EMDR-related research activity. Full management recognition was reported by 16 of 68 respondents (23.5%). These findings describe heterogeneous clinician-reported diffusion of EMDR among participating settings, accompanied by uneven organizational formalization. Future studies should use defined organizational sampling frames, institutional verification, standardized implementation measures, and longitudinal outcome monitoring.”

—Description from publisher

Resource Access

Open Access

Faretta, E., Bafunno, D., Catino, A., Concas, D., Dazzi, F., Ferrini, D., Fistesmaire, P., Gallina, E., Monfredo, M., Pascoli, E., Pezzella, C., Roccia, E., Torricelli, L., Zucchetti, G., & Minelli, A. (2026). Clinician-reported eye movement desensitization and reprocessing use and organizational integration in Italian public and accredited healthcare services: An exploratory descriptive survey. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 20, Article 44. https://doi.org/10.34133/jemdr.0044(opens in new tab)