The effectiveness of EMDR with adult female survivors of childhood sexual abuse

Abstract

A randomized experimental evaluation found support for the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in reducing trauma symptoms among adult female survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Fifty-nine women were assigned randomly to one of three groups: (1) individual EMDR treatment (six sessions); (2) routine individual treatment (six sessions); or (3) delayed treatment control group. A MANOVA was statistically significant at both posttest and follow-up. In univariate ANOVAs for each of four standardized outcome measures EMDR group members scored significantly better than controls at posttest. In a three-month follow-up, EMDR participants scored significantly better than routine individual treatment participants on two of the four measures, with large effect sizes suggestive of clinical significance.