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The effects of bilateral stimulation using eye movements on sexual fantasies with follow-up (Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry)

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Home / Resources / Sexual Trauma / The effects of bilateral stimulation using eye movements on sexual fantasies with follow-up (Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry)

The effects of bilateral stimulation using eye movements on sexual fantasies with follow-up

Bilateral stimulation with eye movements may be a suitable intervention for impairing mental imagery of sexual fantasies.


Article Abstract

“Background and objectives: Sexual fantasies represent a common aspect of human sexuality that can support sexual well-being but also contribute to psychopathology. The latter warrants intervention and bilateral stimulation with eye movements (EMs) may be a suitable intervention for impairing mental imagery of sexual fantasies. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of multiple rounds of EMs on sexual fantasies, gauge the effect over time with a one-week follow-up, and assess how impaired sexual imagery may influence behaviour and behavioural intention.

Methods: Twenty-eight participants (14 male, Mage = 44.10, SDage = 9.77) selected a favoured sexual fantasy and engaged in five repeated rounds of an EM task, either face-to-face or via telehealth. Baseline phenomenological characteristics of sexual fantasies were compared against repeated measures after each round of EMs and at one-week follow-up, as well as hypothetical behavioural intention and frequency of fantasy masturbation.

Results: All sexual fantasy characteristics (e.g., vividness, sensations, arousal, believability) diminished progressively between each round of EMs. These characteristics increased from round five to follow-up. However, they remained significantly reduced compared to baseline. Participants’ hypothetical behavioural intention and frequency of masturbation associated with their sexual fantasies also reduced post-EM task.

Limitations: Use of self-report measures; participants’ mental imagery could not be measured directly; and no comparison groups were included.

Conclusions: As an imagery impairing task, bilateral stimulation with EMs is effective for diminishing the phenomenological properties of sexual fantasies, extending upon extant literature. Collectively, the progressive research regarding EMs and sexual fantasies encourages replication in specific populations (e.g., individuals with problematic or harmful sexual fantasies).”

—Description from publisher

Article Access

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Allen, A., McKillop, N., Katsikitis, M., & Millear, P. (2023). The effects of bilateral stimulation using eye movements on sexual fantasies with follow-up. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 79(1), 101826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101826

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Basic Info Collapse

Date
December 13, 2022

Creator(s)
Andrew Allen, Nadine McKillop, Mary Katsikitis

Contributor(s)
Prudence Millear

Topics
Sexual Trauma

Practice & Methods
BLS

More Info Collapse

Publisher
Elsevier

Rights
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

APA Citation
Allen, A., McKillop, N., Katsikitis, M., & Millear, P. (2023). The effects of bilateral stimulation using eye movements on sexual fantasies with follow-up. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 79(1), 101826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101826

Audience
EMDR Therapists, Other Mental Health Professionals

Language
English

Content Type
Article, Peer-Reviewed

Access Type
External Resource

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