de Jongh, Roos: State of the science: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy

Question 1

EMDR is uitgevonden door..

Answer 1

Francine Shapiro

Question 2

characteristics of EMDR that distinguish it from other psychological methods

Answer 2

• although flexible, it is mostly taught the same worldwide (highly protocolized). therefore also thoroughly researched
• does not involve direct challenging of beliefs
• little verbal instruction is needed
• no efforts to encourage the patient to verbalize their trauma memories

Question 3

The most distinctive component of EMDR is …

Answer 3

that the patient is typically asked to visually track the therapist’s hand as it moves left and right while simultaneously holding their trauma memories in mind.

Question 4

8 phases of EMDR

Answer 4

1. patient history and treatment planning
2. preparation for trauma work, building therapeutic alliance
3. assessment, identify target memories on which the treatment sessions will focus, and self-referential dysfunctional beliefs and alternative desirable beliefs, the key emotions and bodily sensations, and subjective level of disturbance related to the target memory
4. desensitization with dual attention task
5. installation along with the target memory, strengthening the alternative positive cognition that contradicts the negative cognition
6. body scan releasing remaining physical sensations
7. closure, evt. follow up arrangement
8. assessing the effectiveness of the treatment

Question 5

The goal of the EMDR procedure is

Answer 5

achieving a final state in which the disturbance related to the target memory is minimized and the credibility of a desired positive and self-referent belief related to the target memory is maximized.

Typically, during the EMDR process, trauma memories gradually become “neutral” (i.e., lose their emotional charge) so that by the end of treatment, the patient should be able to recall the traumatic memory without experiencing any emotional disturbance.

Question 6

welk format heeft EMDR vaak

Answer 6

A therapy session using EMDR in adults typically lasts 60–90 min and can be conducted individually or in a group format. Although EMDR is usually administered in weekly sessions, condensed formats with daily or twice-daily sessions have also been found to be effective.

Question 7

welk model is de basis van EMDR

Answer 7

adaptive information processing (AIP) model

Question 8

adaptive information processing model

Answer 8

Francine Shapiro (2018) developed the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model as the theoretical foundation for EMDR therapy. This model posits that traumatic experiences can disrupt the brain’s natural information processing system, leading to the storage of memories, along with associated emotions and reactions, in a “frozen” state. EMDR, according to the AIP model, helps integrate these dysfunctional memories into healthier neural networks, resulting in cognitive restructuring and symptom relief from trauma.

Question 9

wat was support en kritiek op dit AIP model

Answer 9

Christman et al. (2003, 2006) found that horizontal eye movements improve access to episodic memories through interhemispheric interaction. Although EEG data raised doubts about this explanation.

Question 10

wat is nu het geaccepteerde model voor de werking van EMDR

Answer 10

Baddeley’s (2012) working memory model

Question 11

working memory model

Answer 11

This model suggests that taxing working memory during the recall of traumatic memories reduces emotional intensity because fewer resources are available for processing the memory. Studies show that visuospatial tasks, such as eye movements, are more effective than other methods like listening to clicks.

Question 12

EMDR 2.0

Answer 12

A new variant, EMDR 2.0 (Matthijssen et al., 2021), emphasizes strong activation of traumatic memories and greater working memory taxation. Examples include complex eye movements, mental tasks, or rhythmic tapping. Although EMDR 2.0 is not significantly more effective than traditional EMDR, it improves efficiency by requiring fewer repetitions to achieve results.

Question 13

neurobiological support for EMDR

Answer 13

Research shows that taxing working memory suppresses activity in the amygdala, which plays a central role in emotional memory storage and recall (de Voogd et al., 2018). This effect is dose-dependent: the greater the working memory load, the stronger the inhibition.

Question 14

evidence for emdr in ptsd

Answer 14

More than 30 RCTs confirm EMDR’s efficacy for PTSD. EMDR has shown large effects compared to waitlist controls, relaxation techniques, imagery rescripting, and pharmacotherapy. EMDR also demonstrates similar or better outcomes compared to trauma-focused CBT, with remission rates ranging from 36% to over 90%, depending on the study.

Question 15

effectiveness of emdr in patients with ptsd and comorbid disorders

Answer 15

EMDR has proven effective for treating PTSD in patients with comorbid conditions such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and borderline personality disorder. A key study showed that after 8 sessions of EMDR, 60% of participants with schizophrenia or psychotic disorders no longer met PTSD criteria, with sustained benefits at 12 months. Notably, psychosis did not hinder treatment, and symptoms like delusions decreased post-therapy.

Question 16

complex ptsd and emdr

Answer 16

The treatment of CPTSD has been explored with EMDR. Traditional phase-based models (Cloitre et al., 2012) suggest a stabilization phase is needed before trauma processing, but recent studies challenge this. A residential trauma-focused treatment combining EMDR and other therapies showed that 88% of CPTSD patients no longer met diagnostic criteria after 8 days (Voorendonk et al., 2020). Further research (van Vliet et al., 2021) found no difference in outcomes between EMDR with and without a stabilization phase, suggesting EMDR alone can effectively treat CPTSD.

Question 17

cultural applications of emdr

Answer 17

Although minority ethnic groups are underrepresented in EMDR research, the therapy has been successfully applied in diverse cultural settings. Studies in non-Western countries, including Lebanon, Eritrean refugee camps, and Syria, show EMDR’s effectiveness for refugees and marginalized communities suffering from trauma, PTSD, and related symptoms. However, challenges such as language barriers and cultural differences in trauma expression remain.

Question 18

wat is zo handig aan emdr

Answer 18

One of its advantages over other therapies, like prolonged exposure therapy, is that it does not require explicit verbalization of traumatic memories, making it culturally adaptable. EMDR also effectively treats a range of symptoms beyond PTSD, including CPTSD, anxiety, and depression. (However, more research is needed in areas such as PTSD in children, combat-related PTSD, chronic pain, and cost-effectiveness.)