Auditory Personalization of EMDR Treatment to Relieve Trauma Effects: A Feasibility Study [EMDR+]

Abstract

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an elective therapy to treat people with post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). In line with the personalization of therapeutic strategies, through this pilot study, we assessed in people suffering from the effects of trauma the feasibility, safety, acceptance, and efficacy of EMDR enriched with sound stimulation (by administering neutral sounds synchronized with the guided bilateral alternating stimulation of the gaze) and musical reward (musical listening based on the patients’ predisposition and personal tastes). Feasibility, quantified by the number of patients who completed the treatment, was excellent as this was the case in 12 out of the 12 enrolled people with psychological trauma. Safety and acceptance, assessed by self-compiled questionnaires, were excellent, with an absence of side effects and high satisfaction. Efficacy, quantified by the number of EMDR treatment sessions required to reach the optimal scores on the Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD) and Validity of Cognition (VOC) scales typical of EMDR protocols, revealed an average duration of 8.5 (SD 1.2) sessions, which is well below the 12 sessions considered a standard EMDR treatment duration. EMDR+ appears to be a relevant personalization of EMDR, particularly in music-sensitive people, consolidating the therapeutic alliance through a multisensory communicative bond for trauma treatment.

Musician's dystonia: an opinion on novel treatment strategies

“…As previously presented (Salimpoor et al, 2015 ; Tecchio et al, 2020 ; Persichilli et al, 2022 ; Grifoni et al, 2023 ), the brain is a network composed of groups of neurons that work together. These ensembles of neurons collaborate enabling the body-brain to kengage with the environment.…”

“…Taking advantage of the therapeutic capacity of music (Pant et al, 2022 ), the EMDR + ® strategy (Grifoni et al, 2023 ) has recently been proposed, showing promising feasibility, safety, acceptance, and evident efficacy in individuals suffering from trauma-induced psychological symptoms. EMDR+ ® introduces music within the therapeutic process, capitalizing on its motivational potential and emotional impact (Salimpoor et al, 2015 ).…”

Randomized trial on the effects of an EMDR intervention on traumatic and obsessive symptoms during the COVID-19 quarantine: a psychometric study

“…Research indicates that EMDR requires paying attention to the selected worst image related to the negative event, along with its associated bodily sensations, emotions, and physical sensations, which can facilitate a resumption of the learning process. This new form of learning may allow the event to be reprocessed in a way that is adaptive and no longer dysfunctional ( 102 ). As a matter of fact, once memory is retrieved, it may become labile again, which fosters its susceptibility to modification during a possible process of human memory reconsolidation ( 103 , 104 ).…”