Early EMDR Intervention Following a Community Critical Incident: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of early eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) intervention using the EMDR recent traumatic episode protocol (R-TEP) after a traumatic community event whereby a missile hit a building in a crowded area of a town. In a waitlist/delayed treatment parallel-group randomized controlled trial, 17 survivors with posttraumatic distress were treated with EMDR therapy using the R-TEP protocol. Volunteer EMDR practitioners conducted treatment on 2 consecutive days. Participants were randomly allocated to either immediate or waitlist/delayed treatment conditions. Assessments with Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) brief depression inventory took place at pre- and posttreatment and at 3 months follow-up. At 1 week posttreatment, the scores of the immediate treatment group were significantly improved on the IES-R compared to the waitlist/delayed treatment group, who showed no improvement prior to their treatment. At 3 months follow-up, results on the IES-R were maintained and there was a significant improvement on PHQ-9 scores. This pilot study provides preliminary evidence, supporting the efficacy of EMDR R-TEP for reducing posttrauma stress among civilian victims of hostility, and shows that this model of intervention briefly augmenting local mental health services following large-scale traumatic incidents, using an EMDR intervention on 2 consecutive days may be effective.

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The EMDR Protocol for Recent Critical Incidents: Application in a Disaster Mental Health Continuum of Care Context

Journal of EMDR Practice and Research ◽

10.1891/1933-3196.5.3.82 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 82-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Ignacio Jarero ◽

Lucina Artigas ◽

Marilyn Luber

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Treatment Group ◽

Critical Incidents ◽

Continuum Of Care ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Disaster Mental Health ◽

Impact Of Event Scale ◽

Event Scale ◽

Delayed Treatment ◽

The Impact

This randomized, controlled group field study was conducted subsequent to a 7.2 earthquake in North Baja California, Mexico. Treatment was provided according to continuum of care principles. Crisis management debriefing was provided to 53 individuals. After this, the 18 individuals who had high scores on the Impact of Event Scale (IES) were then provided with the eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) Protocol for Recent Critical Incidents (EMDR-PRECI), a single-session modified EMDR protocol for the treatment of recent trauma. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: immediate treatment group and waitlist/delayed treatment group. There was no improvement in the waitlist/delayed treatment group, and scores of the immediate treatment group participants were significantly improved, compared with waitlist/delayed treatment group paticipants. One session of EMDR-PRECI produced significant improvement on symptoms of posttraumatic stress for both the immediate-treatment and waitlist/delayed treatment groups, with results maintained at 12-week follow-up, even though frightening aftershocks continued to occur frequently. This study provides preliminary evidence in support of the protocol’s efficacy in a disaster mental health continuum of care context. More controlled research is recommended to evaluate further the efficacy of this intervention.

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The Effects of the EMDR Group Traumatic Episode Protocol With Cancer Survivors

Journal of EMDR Practice and Research ◽

10.1891/1933-3196.12.3.105 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 105-117

Author(s):

Amanda Karen Patricia Roberts

Keyword(s):

Treatment Group ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Psychological Treatment ◽

Delayed Treatment ◽

Oncology Treatment ◽

Traumatic Episode

The purpose of this pre-experimental case study was to explore the efficacy and safety of the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (G-TEP) in the psychological treatment of cancer survivors and its potential effects on posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Participants (N = 35) were patients with various types of cancer, in different stages, initial or recurring, with diagnosis or oncology treatment received within the past year. Following an individual psychoeducational intake session, participants received two 90-minute EMDR G-TEP sessions, administered on consecutive days. They were randomly assigned to a treatment group or a delayed treatment group. Assessments were administered at pre, post, and follow-up using the Short PostTraumatic Stress Disorder Interview (SPRINT), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Repeated measures comparisons of PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and depression revealed significant differences between pretest and posttest, with most results maintained at follow-up. Pre-follow-up effect sizes showed medium effects. These promising results suggest the value in providing a lengthier course of treatment. They support the need for research with large sample, randomized clinical trials to examine the viability of providing EMDR G-TEP in the psychological treatment of cancer survivors. No serious adverse effects were reported and we conclude that the EMDR G-TEP may be effective and safe in the psychological treatment of an oncology population.

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Randomized Controlled Trial: Self-Care Traumatic Episode Protocol (STEP), Computerized EMDR Treatment of COVID-19 Related Stress

Journal of EMDR Practice and Research ◽

10.1891/emdr-d-20-00047 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. EMDR-D-20-00047

Author(s):

Judy Moench ◽

Olivia Billsten

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Mental Health Clinicians ◽

Delayed Treatment ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Traumatic Episode ◽

General Self Efficacy

Healthcare workers and Mental Health clinicians are at heightened risk for mental health issues while they support their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and early psychological intervention is crucial to protect them. The Self-Care Traumatic Episode Protocol (STEP) is a computerized intervention adapted from the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (EMDR G-TEP). This study evaluated the effectiveness of STEP for Mental Health clinicians in the context of COVID-19. Thirty-four Mental Health clinicians were randomly allocated to treatment (n = 17) or waitlist (n = 17). The Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS- 21) were completed by the treatment group at baseline and 1-week follow-up postintervention and by the waitlist group at baseline, preintervention, and 1-week follow-up postwaitlist. Pre–post comparisons showed a significant decrease in depression, anxiety, and stress for Immediate Treatment, t(15) = −3.64, p < .01, d = .73, and for Delayed Treatment, t(15) = −3.53, p < .01, d = .68, There was also a significant increase in general self-efficacy for Immediate Treatment, t(15) = 2.87, p < .05, d = .46, and Delayed Treatment, t(15) = 3.72, p < .01, d = .56. The randomized controlled trial (RCT) indicated that STEP may be effective in increasing general self-efficacy and reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among Mental Health clinicians in the context of COVID-19. Further research investigating the potential of utilizing the STEP intervention on a larger scale and with other populations is needed.

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Evaluating the EMDR Group Traumatic Episode Protocol With Refugees: A Field Study

Journal of EMDR Practice and Research ◽

10.1891/1933-3196.11.3.129 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 129-138 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Maria Lehnung ◽

Elan Shapiro ◽

Melanie Schreiber ◽

Arne Hofmann

Keyword(s):

Field Study ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Impact Of Event Scale ◽

Event Scale ◽

Group Settings ◽

Stress Symptoms ◽

Kolmogorov Smirnov ◽

Traumatic Episode ◽

Arabic Speaking ◽

The Impact

In 2015, more than 1.5 million refugees arrived in Germany, many severely traumatized. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has been proven to be an effective treatment for acute and chronic traumatic stress symptoms. A modification for provision in group settings was developed by E. Shapiro: the EMDR Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (G-TEP). In this field study, we investigated the effectiveness of 2 sessions of EMDR G-TEP in treating traumatized refugees. After receiving a psychoeducation session, 18 Arabic-speaking refugees from Syria and Iraq who had come to Germany during the previous 5 months were assigned to treatment and/or waitlist. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered at pre- and posttreatment. Analysis was conducted using the Mann–Whitney U test and planned Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests. Results showed significant differences between the treatment and the waitlist groups, indicating a significant decline in IES-R scores (p < .05). Although differences in BDI scores did not reach significance (p = .06), a large decline in BDI scores was seen in the treatment group. These results provide preliminary evidence that it might be effective to treat groups of traumatized refugees with EMDR G-TEP.

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The EMDR Protocol for Recent Critical Incidents: Follow-Up Report of an Application in a Human Massacre Situation

Journal of EMDR Practice and Research ◽

10.1891/1933-3196.6.2.50 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 50-61 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Ignacio Jarero ◽

Susana Uribe

Keyword(s):

Critical Incidents ◽

Attorney General ◽

Single Individual ◽

Impact Of Event Scale ◽

Event Scale ◽

Emotional Resilience ◽

Delayed Treatment ◽

Chronic Ptsd ◽

The Impact

This article reports the follow-up results of our field study (Jarero & Uribe, 2011) that investigated the application of the eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) Protocol for Recent Critical Incidents (EMDR-PRECI) in a human massacre situation. A single individual session was provided to 32 forensic personnel of the State Attorney General in the Mexican state of Durango who were working with 258 bodies recovered from clandestine graves. Pre-post results showed significant improvement for both immediate treatment and waitlist/delayed treatment groups on the Impact of Event Scale (IES) and Short PTSD Rating Interview (SPRINT). In this study, we report the follow-up assessment, which was conducted, at 3 and 5 months posttreatment. Follow-up scores showed that the original treatment results were maintained, with a further significant reduction of self-reported symptoms of posttraumatic stress and PTSD between posttreatment and follow-up. During the follow-up period, the employees continued to work with the recovered corpses and were continually exposed to horrific emotional stressors, with ongoing threats to their own safety. This suggests that EMDR-PRECI was an effective early intervention, reducing traumatic stress for a group of traumatized adults continuing to work under extreme stressors in a human massacre situation. It appears that the treatment may have helped to prevent the development of chronic PTSD and to increase psychological and emotional resilience.

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Providing Antismoking Socialization to Children After Quitting Smoking: Does It Help Parents Stay Quit?

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/0890117117723111 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 32 (5) ◽

pp. 1257-1263 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kim A. Hayes ◽

Christine Jackson ◽

Denise M. Dickinson ◽

Audra L. Miller

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Parenting Program ◽

Smoking History ◽

Group Differences ◽

Quit Smoking ◽

Home Based ◽

Quitting Smoking

Purpose: To test whether an antismoking parenting program provided to parents who had quit smoking for ≥24 hours increased parents’ likelihood of remaining abstinent 2 and 3 years postbaseline. Design: Two-group randomized controlled trial with 3-year follow-up. Setting: Eleven states (Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, and Vermont). Participants: Five hundred seventy-seven adults (286 treatment and 291 control) who had smoked ≥10 cigarettes daily at baseline, had quit smoking for ≥24 hours after calling a Quitline, and were parents of an 8- to 10-year-old child; 358 (62%) completed the 2-year follow-up interview, and 304 (53%) completed the 3-year follow-up interview. Intervention: Theory-driven, home-based, self-help parenting program. Measures: Sociodemographic, smoking history, and 30-day point prevalence. Analysis: Multivariable regression analyses tested for group differences in 30-day abstinence. Attriters were coded as having relapsed. Results: Between-group differences in abstinence rates were 5.6% and 5.9% at 2 and 3 years, respectively. Treatment group parents had greater odds of abstinence, an effect that was significant only at the latter time point (odds ratio [OR] = 1.49, P = .075 at 2 years; OR = 1.70, P = .026 at 3 years). Conclusions: This study obtained preliminary evidence that engaging parents who recently quit smoking as agents of antismoking socialization of children has the potential to reduce the long-term odds of relapse.

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Auricular acupressure for hot flashes in patients with prostate cancer: protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial

10.21203/rs.3.rs-27959/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jianfu Zhou ◽

Rongwu Lin ◽

Xuehua Liu ◽

Liguo Lv ◽

Shusheng Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prostate Cancer ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Hot Flashes ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Control Group ◽

Random Allocation ◽

Clinical Trial Registry ◽

Auricular Acupressure

Abstract BackgroundHot flashes, characterized by intense heat sensation and diaphoresis, are common side effects resulted from hormonotherapy in patients with prostate cancer. Cumulated studies have revealed beneficial role of acupuncture as complementary and alternative recipe for the management of hot flashes. However, little is known about the auricular acupressure (AA), a micro-acupuncture technique whose therapeutic purpose is similar with conventional acupuncture. Therefore, this current study aims to explore the effects and determine the feasibility of AA for hot flashes in patients with prostate cancer.Methods/DesignThis proposed pilot study is a two-arm parallel, single-blinded, randomized sham-controlled trial. A total of 72 participants of prostate cancer suffered with hot flashes will be recruited and randomly allocated into two groups in a 1:1 ratio. Equal randomization is conducted using a computer-generated random allocation sequence. Sheng Zhi Qi (TF2), Nei Fen Mi (CO18), Shen Men (TF4), Shen (CO10) and Pi Zhi Xia (AT4) are selected as experimental acupressure points, and five helix points (HX 8-12) are used as sham control acupressure points. Participants in the experimental group and control group will receive AA and sham-AA treatment, respectively. The duration of the treatment is 6 weeks with two sessions per week, and the follow-up period is 12 weeks. The primary outcome is Hot Flash Score (HFS). The secondary outcomes include Quality of Life (QoL), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAS). All outcomes measurement will be conducted before and through treatment period as well as follow-up period. Safety assessment will be carried out through treatment and follow-up period.DiscussionThis pilot study will for the first time advance our knowledge on feasibility of AA in alleviating hot flashes in patients of prostate cancer and provide preliminary evidence for a further full-scale trial.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900026694. Registered on 19 October 2019.

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Couples Facing the Birth of a Newborn with a Congenital Anomaly: PTSD Symptoms in the First Year

American Journal of Perinatology ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1641591 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 35 (12) ◽

pp. 1168-1172 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Francesca Bevilacqua ◽

Francesco Morini ◽

Antonio Zaccara ◽

Chiara De Marchis ◽

Annabella Braguglia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

First Year ◽

Stressful Situation ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Impact Of Event Scale ◽

Event Scale ◽

Stress Symptoms ◽

Parental Gender ◽

Set Up ◽

The Impact

Objective The objective of this study was to assess the presence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in parental couples of newborn requiring early surgery at 6 and 12 months after birth. Study Design A longitudinal study was set up from January 2014 to June 2015. As a measure of PTSD, we used the Italian version of the Impact of Event Scale—Revised (IES-R). Results Thirty-four couples form the object of the study. At 6 months, half of mothers (52.9%) and fathers (44.1%) reported traumatic stress symptoms above the clinical cutoff. Percentages remained stable at 12 months. When parental gender and length of follow-up were compared with two-factor analysis of variance, none had an impact on IES-R score, nor an interaction between these factors was found. A significant correlation of IES-R total score was present within the couple both at 6 and 12 months (6 months—r: 0.6842, p < 0.0001 and 12 months—r: 0.4045, p = 0.0177). Conclusion Having a child with a repaired malformation represents a complex prolonged stressful situation with persistent burden for both parents who are at high risk of developing PTSD symptoms.

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Effects of Group Logo therapy Training on Self-Esteem, Communication Skills, and impact of event scale-revised (IES-R) in Elderly

10.21203/rs.2.18392/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Ali Soroush ◽

Arash Ziapour ◽

Manoj Sharma ◽

Iran Jahanbin ◽

Bahare Andayeshgar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Communication Skills ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

The Elderly ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Stressful Events ◽

The Self ◽

Case Group ◽

Impact Of Event Scale ◽

Event Scale

Abstract Background: To evaluate the effects of group logotherapy training on the Self-Esteem, communication skills, and dealing with event in elderly. Methods: The sample of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) includes 30 elderly individuals with unstable and weak self-esteem in an Daily Center for the elderly. The Samples are selected by convenience method and divided into two equal groups, i.e. the cases and controls. The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (CSEI), Weiss and Marmar’s Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and Barton’s Communication Skills Questionnaire were instruments for data collection. After evaluating the baseline, the case group attended ten sessions of group logotherapy. During this period, the controls were only using the conventional programs of the center. At the end of the program, the baseline sessions were completed by all participants at 1 and 3-month follow-up. The collected data were analyzed using analysis of variance with repeated measures, independent t-test, and chi-square. Results: The results show that group logotherapy significantly is effect on the improvement of self-esteem, communication skills, and dealing with events in the elderly (P<0.001). However, a decrease in the effects of the trainings over time was observed in the follow-ups one and three months after the program. Conclusions: It can be concluded that group logotherapy training can be used for boosting the self-esteem, improving the communication skills, and improving proper responses to stressful events among the elderly. The durability of the benefits of these trainings requires reevaluation of this program in the long term.

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