EYE-MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING - EFFECTIVENESS AND AUTONOMIC CORRELATES

Eighteen subjects distressed by memories of a specific traumatic event were randomly assigned to a single session of one of three conditions : Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a Time Interva l Condition (TIC), or Tapping Alternate Phalanges (TAP). All subjects treated in the EMDR group showed desensitization as monitored by SUDs, which correlated with the physiological data and cessation of pronoun ced symptomatology. Only one subject in a control group showed desensi tization. Compared to TIC and TAP, autonomic measures showed distinct changes during EMDR: (1) respiration synchronized with the rhythm of t he eye movements in a shallow, regular pattern; (2) heart rate slowed significantly overall; (3) systolic blood pressure increased during ea rly sets, invariably declined during abreactions, and decreased overal l; (4) finger tip skin temperature consistently increased; and (5) the galvanic skin response consistently decreased in a clear ''relaxation response.'' This relaxing effect of the eye movements suggests that a t least one of the mechanisms operating during EMDR is desensitization by reciprocal inhibition, by pairing emotional distress with an unlea rned or ''compelled'' relaxation response. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd