Efetividade da EMDR no tratamento do transtorno de estresse pós-traumático: Uma revisão integrativa / Effectiveness of EMDR in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder: An integrative review

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as a dysfunctional emotional state, triggered by exposure to a highly stressful event. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is widely used in the treatment of this disorder, however, with partial effectiveness, since high rates of recurrence are observed in the diagnosed population. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), on the other hand, is a basic technique of CBT that consists of reactivating the traumatic memory associated with repetitive eye movements, and has been considered as much, or more, effective than CBT. In this perspective, this review was prepared with the objective of identifying evidence of the effectiveness of EMDR in the treatment of PTSD. Studies from 2015 to 2020 were analyzed, evaluating the effectiveness of EMDR-based therapy and identifying undefined issues in the field of psychiatry that instigate the investigation of the mnemonic mechanisms of treatment and their applicability in clinical practice in mental health. The results showed that EMDR is beneficial for the treatment of PTSD in several populations, usually with results similar to other therapies. However, there was a scarcity of studies with methodology addressing the mnemonic factors that justify its effectiveness. Of particular interest, none of the analyzed data explored the distinction between the elements of reconsolidation and extinction of memory, which, in thesis, must mediate the therapeutic effects obtained by EMDR in PTSD patients.