Treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: Outcome is stable in 35-month follow-up | Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center

Authors:	Hoving, J. L., Broekhuizen,M. L. A. & Frings-Dresen, M. H. W.
Year Published	2007
Publication	Psychiatry Research
Volume	159
Number	1
Pages	101-108
Publisher	Elsevier
Background	Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that may follow major psychological trauma. The disorder is longstanding, chronic, and there is a need for effective treatment.
Purpose	The purpose of this study was to investigate post-treatment changes in trauma related symptoms and social function in an observational longitudinal follow-up study of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients treated with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)(p. 102)
Setting	The setting was a Swedish outpatient mental health center.
Sample	The sample included 20 subjects with chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following occupational health hazards.
Data Collection	Participants were assessed with psychometric scales and diagnostic interviews before treatment, directly after treatment, at eight months and at 35 months after the end of therapy.
Control	There was no control or comparison condition.
Findings	Sixty percent of the patients had improved scores on the general functional scale and a decrease of anxiety and depressive symptoms at 35 months follow-up. 83% of the participants had full working capacity at the 35 month follow up assessment.
Conclusions	This study found that a brief EMDR treatment had a long-lasting positive effect on PTSD in civilian adult trauma victims , but this finding should be confirmed in a long-term follow-up with a larger number of subjects.
URL	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18336919
Disabilities	Emotional disturbance
Populations	Male & Female
Outcomes	Return to work
NIDILRR Funded	No
Research Design	Observational
Peer Reviewed	Yes

Year Published

2007

Publication

Psychiatry Research

Volume

159

Number

1

Pages

101-108

Publisher

Elsevier

Background

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that may follow major psychological trauma. The disorder is longstanding, chronic, and there is a need for effective treatment.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate post-treatment changes in trauma related symptoms and social function in an observational longitudinal follow-up study of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients treated with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)(p. 102)

Setting

The setting was a Swedish outpatient mental health center.

Sample

The sample included 20 subjects with chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following occupational health hazards.

Data Collection

Participants were assessed with psychometric scales and diagnostic interviews before treatment, directly after treatment, at eight months and at 35 months after the end of therapy.

Control

There was no control or comparison condition.

Findings

Sixty percent of the patients had improved scores on the general functional scale and a decrease of anxiety and depressive symptoms at 35 months follow-up. 83% of the participants had full working capacity at the 35 month follow up assessment.

Conclusions

This study found that a brief EMDR treatment had a long-lasting positive effect on PTSD in civilian adult trauma victims , but this finding should be confirmed in a long-term follow-up with a larger number of subjects.

URL

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18336919

Disabilities

Emotional disturbance

Populations

Male & Female

Outcomes

Return to work

NIDILRR Funded

No

Research Design

Observational

Peer Reviewed

Yes