title: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing treatment for panic disorder: a controlled outcome and partial dismantling study.
abstract: Forty-three outpatients with DSM-III-R (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd Ed., revised; American Psychiatric Association, 1987) panic disorder were randomly assigned to receive 6 sessions of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), the same treatment but omitting the eye movement, or to a waiting list. Posttest comparisons showed EMDR to be more effective in alleviating panic and panic-related symptoms than the waiting-list procedure. Compared with the same treatment without the eye movement, EMDR led to greater improvement on 2 of 5 primary outcome measures at posttest. However, EMDR's advantages had dissipated 3 months after treatment, thereby failing to firmly support the usefulness of the eye movement component in EMDR treatment for panic disorder.
authors.affiliation: Agoraphobia and Anxiety Treatment Center, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Feske
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Goldstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic / Q000379:methods*; D005133:Eye Movements; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome