How to heal their psychological wounds? Effectiveness of EMDR therapy on post-traumatic stress symptoms, mind-wandering and suicidal ideation in Iranian child abuse victims

Studies have shown that child abuse as a traumatic event can lead to symptoms of PTSD, mind-wandering and suicidal ideation in adulthood.

Article Abstract

“Child abuse is increasingly known to be a risk factor for health in children across any nationality worldwide. Studies in this area have shown that child abuse, as a traumatic event, can lead to symptoms of PTSD, mind-wandering and also suicidal ideation in adulthood. Although studies have shown significant effects of EMDR on a reduction in psychological symptoms in individuals with a history of trauma, further studies are needed regarding the specific effect of this treatment on reducing PTSD symptoms, suicidal ideations and mind-wandering in female victims of child abuse. The current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of EMDR therapy on reducing PTSD symptoms, suicidal ideations and mind-wandering in female victims of child abuse. Thirty female victims were assigned to either EMDR or waiting list control in a randomised, double-blind trial. The participants in the EMDR group attended eight twice-weekly sessions. The participants were examined in pre-test and post-test with Civilian Mississippi Scale for PTSD (CMS), Child Abuse and Self-Report Scale (CASRS), Mind-Wandering Questionnaire (MWQ), Beck Scale for suicidal ideation (BSSI) and Brief Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-B). Results of multivariate analysis of covariance showed that EMDR had a significant effect on reducing PTSD symptoms with an effect size of 0.72, suicidal ideations with an effect size of 0.53, and mind-wandering with an effect size of 0.19. It can be concluded that this treatment is effective in improving PTSD, suicidal ideations and mind-wandering in female victims of child abuse.”

—Description from publisher

Article Access

Purchase/Subscription Required

Jamshidi, F., Rajabi, S., & Dehghani, Y. (2020). How to heal their psychological wounds? Effectiveness of EMDR therapy on post-traumatic stress symptoms, mind-wandering and suicidal ideation in Iranian child abuse victims. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 21(2), 412-421. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12339