title: 25 years of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): The EMDR therapy protocol, hypotheses of its mechanism of action and a systematic review of its efficacy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.
abstract: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a relatively new psychotherapy that has gradually gained popularity for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. In the present work, the standardised EMDR protocol is introduced, along with current hypotheses of its mechanism of action, as well as a critical review of the available literature on its clinical effectiveness in adult post-traumatic stress disorder. A systematic review of the published literature was performed using PubMed and PsycINFO databases with the keywords «eye movement desensitization and reprocessing» and «post-traumatic stress disorder» and its abbreviations «EMDR» and «PTSD». Fifteen randomised controlled trials of good methodological quality were selected. These studies compared EMDR with unspecific interventions, waiting lists, or specific therapies. Overall, the results of these studies suggest that EMDR is a useful, evidence-based tool for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, in line with recent recommendations from different international health organisations.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psiquiatría y Medicina Legal, Doctorado de Psiquiatría y Psicología Clínica, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España; Instituto de Neuropsiquiatría y Adicciones (INAD), Consorci Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Novo Navarro
authors.affiliation: FIDMAG Research Foundation, Germanes Hospitalàries, Barcelona, España; Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sídney, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Landin-Romero
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neuropsiquiatría y Adicciones (INAD), Consorci Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Rocio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guardiola-Wanden-Berghe
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, España; FIDMAG Research Foundation, Germanes Hospitalàries, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moreno-Alcázar
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, España; FIDMAG Research Foundation, Germanes Hospitalàries, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valiente-Gómez
authors.affiliation: Clínica Logos, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lupo
authors.affiliation: EMDR España, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Psychotraumatology Research Center, Milán, Italia.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neuropsiquiatría y Adicciones (INAD), Consorci Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, España; FIDMAG Research Foundation, Germanes Hospitalàries, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: benedikt.amann@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Benedikt L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Amann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057169:Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Desensibilización y reprocesamiento por movimiento ocular; Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing; Mecanismo de acción; Mechanism of action; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Psicoterapia; Psychotherapy; Revisión sistemática; Systematic review; Trastorno por estrés postraumático