Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and the anxiety disorders: Clinical and research implications of an integrated psychotherapy treatment

Four recent, independent, rigorously controlled studies of Eye Movement Des ensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) have reported that 84 to 100% of singl e-trauma victims no longer maintain the posttraumatic stress disorder diagn osis after the equivalent of three 90-minute sessions. The rapidity of EMDR treatment effects makes many ancillary research opportunities available. S pecifically, the increased number of cases resolved in a relatively short p eriod of time allows investigation of neurophysiological phenomena, pattern s of cognitive and emotional processing, component analyses of a large rang e of procedural factors, and evaluation of the efficacy of application to d iverse clinical populations. Unfortunately, some research has been conducte d that has been severely hampered by insufficient treatment fidelity and la ck of clinical validity. Consequently, this article will attempt to describ e the procedures and protocols that are believed to contribute to EMDR's cl inical effects and are, therefore, suggested for the EMDR treatment and res earch of the anxiety disorders. This is particularly relevant given the mis conceptions that have abounded due to the unfortunate naming of the procedu re after the eye movements, which have proved to be only one of many useful types of stimulation, and only one of many components of this complex, int egrated treatment. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.