title: A controlled comparison of the effectiveness and efficiency of two psychological therapies for posttraumatic stress disorder: eye movement desensitization and reprocessing vs. emotional freedom techniques.
abstract: The present study reports on the first ever controlled comparison between eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and emotional freedom techniques (EFT) for posttraumatic stress disorder. A total of 46 participants were randomized to either EMDR (n = 23) or EFT (n = 23). The participants were assessed at baseline and then reassessed after an 8-week waiting period. Two further blind assessments were conducted at posttreatment and 3-months follow-up. Overall, the results indicated that both interventions produced significant therapeutic gains at posttreatment and follow-up in an equal number of sessions. Similar treatment effect sizes were observed in both treatment groups. Regarding clinical significant changes, a slightly higher proportion of patients in the EMDR group produced substantial clinical changes compared with the EFT group. Given the speculative nature of the theoretical basis of EFT, a dismantling study on the active ingredients of EFT should be subject to future research.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Life and Social Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK. t.karatzias@napier.ac.uk
authors.forename: Thanos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karatzias
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Power
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McGoldrick
authors.forename: Millia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Begum
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loughran
authors.forename: Zoë
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chouliara
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004644:Emotions; D057169:Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026441:Mind-Body Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome