Patterns of reduction of distress in clinical conditions using eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR).
Loading...
Date
2009
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
patterns, severe personality patterns, depressive constructs, other clinical syndromes, severe
clinical syndromes and dissociation following EMDR treatment. Thirty-two people, ranging
from 23 to 65 years old, underwent the full EMDR protocol treatment for up to three traumas.
The findings regarding clinical personality patterns revealed that EMDR is most
effective in reducing the symptoms of dependent personality pattern because 76% of
participants with clinically significant dependent personality pattern before EMDR treatment
no longer had a clinically significant score (>75) on the MCMI-III at the end of EMDR
treatment; compared to 75% with masochistic personality pattern, 77% with negativistic
personality pattern, 69% with avoidant personality pattern, 40% with depressive personality
pattern and 29% with schizoid personality pattern. These gains were maintained on the
MCMI-III at follow-up by 76% with dependent personality pattern, 64% with masochistic
personality pattern, 46% with negativistic personality pattern, 38% with avoidant personality
pattern, 30% with depressive personality pattern and 29% with schizoid personality pattern.
The analysis of the severe personality patterns at the end of EMDR treatment revealed
that the scores on the MCMI-III reduced from within one standard deviation above the mean
(60-74) to below the mean (<60) for 84% of participants with borderline personality pattern,
compared to 68% with paranoid personality pattern and 52% with schizotypal personality
pattern. These gains were maintained on the MCMI-III at follow-up by 84% with borderline
personality pattern, 68% with paranoid personality pattern and 48% with schizotypal
personality pattern.
The analysis of the depressive constructs revealed that EMDR is most effective in
reducing symptoms of major depression as 86% of participants with clinically significant
major depression before EMDR treatment no longer had a clinically significant score (>75) on the MCMI-III at the end of EMDR treatment; compared to 73% with dysthymia and 40%
with depressive personality pattern. These gains were maintained on the MCMI-III at followup
by 86% with major depression, 58% with dysthymia, and 33% with depressive personality
pattern.
The findings regarding the other clinical syndromes revealed that 91% of participants
with clinically significant post traumatic stress before EMDR treatment, no longer had a
clinically significant score (>75) on the MCMI-III at the end of EMDR treatment, compared
to 75% of participants with anxiety. These gains were maintained on the MCMI-III at followup
by 91% of participants with post traumatic stress and 69% of participants with anxiety.
The analysis of the severe clinical syndromes at the end of EMDR treatment revealed
that the scores on the MCMI-III reduced from within one standard deviation above the mean
(60-74) to below the mean (<60) for 78% of participants with delusional disorder, compared
to 67% with thought disorder, 32% with bipolar (manic), 28% with alcohol dependence and
28% with drug dependence. These gains were maintained on the MCMI-III at follow-up by
67% of participants with delusional disorder, compared to 63% with thought disorder, 53%
with bipolar (manic), 48% with alcohol dependence and 57% with drug dependence.
The analysis of the effects of EMDR on dissociation revealed that there was a
significant decrease in symptoms of dissociation on the DES at the end of EMDR treatment
and these gains were maintained at the follow-up measurement at the end of the study.
Whilst the findings of the present study cannot be generalised due to the small sample
size, the findings do suggest that EMDR is successful in the treatment of a number of clinical
conditions in addition to post traumatic stress; with further research being strongly indicated
in order to further explicate the efficacy of EMDR across different psychiatric conditions.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.
Keywords
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing., Psychic trauma--Treatment., Distress (Psychology), Theses--Psychology.