Examining the effectiveness of the eye movement desensitization and reprocessing integrative group treatment protocol (EMDR group protocol) for hard-to-reach populations in ongoing traumatic situations in Burundi

This study tested the effectiveness of the EMDR group protocol among mental health workers exposed to traumatic experiences in Burundi.

Article Abstract

“Traumatized people in hard-to-reach areas need treatment options that are scalable, efficacious, and easy to administer. The Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing–Integrative Group Treatment Protocol (EMDR group protocol) is a promising scalable trauma intervention. In this study, we tested the effectiveness of the EMDR group protocol (Jarero & Artigas, 2017) among mental health workers who have been exposed to multiple traumatic experiences in Burundi to explore the effectiveness of the EMDR group protocol in a trauma-exposed population. We found that the treatment improved the participants’ post-trauma stress symptoms, but not dissociation symptoms. These results suggest that the EMDR group protocol has potential to be a scalable strategy for trauma intervention, especially among countries with fewer resources.”

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Champion, K. P., Willetts, J. D., Willets, J. K., Sunami, N., Niyonzima, D., Simpson, N., & Smith, N. J. (2025). Examining the effectiveness of the eye movement desensitization and reprocessing integrative group treatment protocol (EMDR Group Protocol) for hard-to-reach populations in ongoing traumatic situations in Burundi. International Perspectives in Psychology, 14(1). https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/abs/10.1027/2157-3891/a000111?journalCode=ipp