A CONTROLLED-STUDY OF EYE-MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING IN THE TREATMENT OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDERED SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a new method d eveloped to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study eva luated the efficacy of EMDR compared to a no-treatment wait-list contr ol in the treatment of PTSD in adult female sexual assault victims. Tw enty-one subjects were entered and 18 completed. Treatment was deliver ed in four weekly individual sessions. Assessments were conducted pre- and posttreatment and 3 months following treatment termination by an independent assessor kept blind to treatment condition. Measures inclu ded standard clinician- and self-administered PTSD and related psychop athology scales. Results indicated that subjects treated with EMDR imp roved significantly more on PTSD and depression from pre- to posttreat ment than control subjects, leading to the conclusion that EMDR was ef fective in alleviating PTSD in this study.