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EMDR treatment for anxiety in MS patients: A pilot study (Multiple Sclerosis Journal – Experimental, Translational and Clinical)

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Home / Resources / Anxiety/Panic/Phobias / EMDR treatment for anxiety in MS patients: A pilot study (Multiple Sclerosis Journal – Experimental, Translational and Clinical)

EMDR treatment for anxiety in MS patients: A pilot study

Pilot study examining flash-forward EMDR procedure as a treatment option in multiple sclerosis patients suffering from anxiety.


Article Abstract

“Background: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) often experience high levels of anxiety, specifically about the (unpredictable) future related to MS. Worries about physical and cognitive declines can cause frightening mental representations of future ‘worst-case scenarios’. Evidence of the applicability of eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR) using flash-forward on anxiety is growing.

Objective: This pilot study examines the flash-forward EMDR procedure as a treatment option in MS patients suffering from anxiety specifically related to future MS problems.

Methods: Eight MS patients suffering from anxiety were treated with one to three sessions of EMDR with a flash-forward target. Treatment effects were evaluated with the use of questionnaires on anxiety, depression, worry, cognitive avoidance, and quality of life at three time points: pre-treatment, direct post-treatment, and three-month follow-up.

Results: Significant improvement was shown post-treatment compared to pre-treatment on anxiety, depression, and worry. In a case series analysis, all but one participant showed a clinically important difference in anxiety.

Conclusion: Before implementation on a larger scale can be recommended, the value of EMDR with flash forward targets for anxiety in MS need to be further examined. However, the positive results on this pilot can be seen as promising and motivation for future studies.”

—Description from publisher

Article Access

Open Access 

Wallis, O. C., & de Vries, J. (2020). EMDR treatment for anxiety in MS patients: A pilot study. Multiple Sclerosis Journal – Experimental, Translational and Clinical, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/2055217320974388

View the Resource
Basic Info Collapse

Date
December 28, 2020

Creator(s)
Olga C. Wallis, Jolanda de Vries

Topics
Anxiety/Panic/Phobias, Medical/Somatic

Practice & Methods
Techniques

More Info Collapse

Extent
8 pages

Publisher
SAGE

Rights
The Author(s), 2020. Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journalspermissions

APA Citation
Wallis, O. C., & de Vries, J. (2020). EMDR treatment for anxiety in MS patients: A pilot study. Multiple Sclerosis Journal – Experimental, Translational and Clinical, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/2055217320974388

Audience
EMDR Therapists, Other Mental Health Professionals

Language
English

Content Type
Article, Peer-Reviewed

Access Type
External Resource, Open Access

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