The immediate and follow-up effects of EMDR therapy for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the immediate and follow-up effects of EMDR therapy on adult patients with PTSD, especially those with comorbid anxiety and depression.
Article Abstract
“Background: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is recommended as an effective psychotherapy for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Prior meta-analyses lacked follow-up data or data on comorbid symptoms, and exhibited high heterogeneity. The aims of this meta-analysis were to investigate the immediate and follow-up effects of EMDR on adult patients with PTSD, especially those with comorbid anxiety and depression.
Methods: Sixty-five studies (including 3342 participants) were analyzed to assess intervention effects and moderating factors such as trauma type, control group type, geography, early intervention, and intervention duration.
Results: This study found that EMDR approach has immediate and follow-up effects on PTSD, with sustained effects at follow-up. It also has an immediate effect on anxiety and depression. Some factors like control group type, trauma type, moderated the immediate effects on PTSD, while for depression, factors like early intervention and number of sessions had moderating effects.
Conclusion: EMDR is an effective intervention for adults with PTSD, with sustained effects and additional benefits for anxiety and depression. Early, brief EMDR shows superior efficacy.
Clinical trial number: Trial registration PROSPERO registration number: CRD420251012356.”
—Description from publisher
Article Preprint Access
Open Access
Yang, H., Xiong, Z., Chen, X., Wo, Y., Tang, H., Qiao, M., Chen, Y., & Wang, Z. (2026). The immediate and follow-up effects of EMDR therapy for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Psychology, 14: 1373. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-026-05349-w(opens in new tab)
Date
August 12, 2026
Creator(s)
Fatemeh Sadat Hoseini, Negin Aramide, Mahsa Ahmadi
Topics
Anxiety/Panic/Phobias, Depression, PTSD
Practice & Methods
Efficacy
Extent
21 pages
Publisher
BMC Psychology
Rights
© 2026. The Author(s). Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.
APA Citation
Yang, H., Xiong, Z., Chen, X., Wo, Y., Tang, H., Qiao, M., Chen, Y., & Wang, Z. (2026). The immediate and follow-up effects of EMDR therapy for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Psychology, 14: 1373. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-026-05349-w
Audience
EMDR Therapists, Other Mental Health Professionals
Language
English
Content Type
Article, Meta-analyses/Systematic Reviews, Peer-Reviewed
Access Type
External Resource, Open Access
