The treatment of anxious-depressive disorders among breast cancer patients integrating the EMDR psychotherapy: From pilot study results to the development of a randomized trial

This pilot study aims to test the feasibility and acceptability of the EMDR approach among female patients with invasive breast cancer.

Article Abstract 

“In recent years, the literature has shown the efficacy of EMDR with cancer patients in reactional disorders such as post-traumatic, depressive and anxious symptoms. However, those studies have several methodological limitations. This pilot study aims to test the feasibility and acceptability of the EMDR approach among female patients with invasive breast cancer, in order to adjust the intervention to the target population, to validate and adopt the standardized protocol before any large-scale randomized trials. Fifteen patients were included between December 2017 and May 2018 and were treated by EMDR therapists. Following the feedback from therapists, patients and the medical team, adaptations were made regarding the organization of the sessions, patient inclusion criteria, measured variables and EMDR standard protocol. With that design, the aim is to implement a trial starting from the reality of clinical practice with a rigorous methodology. The randomized trial is ongoing.”

—Description from publisher 

Article Access 

Open Access

Tarquinio, C. Machado, J., Longo, R., Siles, J., Bruno, J., Gendarme, S., Ziegler, A., Mellouki, N., Eby, E., & Rotonda, C. (2022). The treatment of anxious-depressive disorders among breast cancer patients integrating the EMDR psychotherapy: From pilot study results to the development of a randomized trial. Psychology, 13, 313-327. Open access: DOI: 10.4236/psych.2022.133019, https://hal.univ-lorraine.fr/hal-03611652