Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci.  2017 Nov;15(4):320-327. 10.9758/cpn.2017.15.4.320.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to Facilitate Posttraumatic Growth: A Prospective Clinical Pilot Study on Ferry Disaster Survivors

• Jeon SW
• Han C
• Choi J
• Ko YH
• Yoon HK
• Kim YK

• KMID: 2396302
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.2017.15.4.320

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) on post-traumatic growth (PTG).
METHODS
This study was conducted using a sample of ten survivors of a large-scale maritime disaster that occurred in the Yellow Sea, South Korea, in April 2014. A total of eight EMDR sessions were administered by a psychiatrist at two-week intervals over a period of five months, starting two or three months after the accident. Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Stress-Related Growth Scale (SRGS), Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) were measured before treatment, after sessions 4 and 8, and at three months after treatment completion.
RESULTS
After three months from treatment completion, significant increases were observed in PTG (PTGI: Z(8)=−2.380, p=0.017; SRGS: Z(8)=−2.380, p=0.017) and resilience (CD-RISC: Z(8)=−2.386, p=0.017). A decrease in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) level was also significant (CAPS: Z(8)=−2.176, p=0.030). The reduction of CAPS scores was correlated with increases of PTGI (rho=0.78, p=0.023) and SRGS (rho=0.79, p=0.020) scores. The changes in CAPS, PTGI, and SRGS scores between time point of end 8-session and three months follow-up was not significant (all p>0.05). Subjects with higher pre-treatment CD-RISC scores showed more significant improvements in PTGI (rho=0.88, p=0.004) and SRGS (rho=0.83, p=0.010) scores after treatment than did those with lower pre-treatment CD-RISC scores.
CONCLUSION
EMDR therapy using standard protocol for trauma processing helped facilitating PTG in disaster survivors. To generalize these findings, further controlled studies comparing with other treatment modalities for PTSD are needed.

Keyword

Eye movement desensitization reprocessing; Post-traumatic growth; Post-traumatic stress disorders; Resilience; Trauma

MeSH Terms

Disasters*
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing
Eye Movements*
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Korea
Pilot Projects*
Prospective Studies*
Psychiatry
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Survivors*
Therapeutic Uses
Therapeutic Uses