Comparing the Effectiveness of EMDR and TF-CBT for Children and Adolescents: a Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Efficacy of EMDR and TF-CBT for posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) was explored through meta-analysis. A comprehensive search yielded 494 studies of children and adolescents with PTSS who received treatment with these evidence-based therapeutic modalities. Thirty total studies were included in the meta-analysis. The overall Cohen's d was small (−0.359) and statistically significant (p < 0.05), indicating EMDR and TF-CBT are effective in treating PTSS. Major findings posit TF-CBT is marginally more effective than EMDR; those with sub-clinical PTSS responded more favorably in treatment than those with PTSD; and greater reductions in PTSS were observed with presence of comorbidity in diagnosis. Assessment of publication bias with Classic fail-safe N revealed it would take 457 nonsignificant studies to nullify these findings. Keywords Eye movement and desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). Effectiveness. Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Meta-analysis. Children. Adolescents EMDR is a manualized treatment developed by Francine Shapiro to treat trauma in as little as one 90-minute session Siobhan K. O'Toole is recognized for her authorship posthumously. The first author delineates that this article and included views and research findings are the author's own and are in no way affiliated with Minnesota Department of Human Services, Direct Care and Treatment-Forensic Services.

Correlations Among Childhood Abuse and Family Violence, Prevention, Assessment, and Treatment from a Trauma-Focused Perspective

“…TF-CBT is also an effective and supportive therapy for sexually abused children (Cohen et al 2006;Feather and Ronan 2009;Foster 2014, Silverman et al 2008. Additionally, the modality has been effective in treating and working with children who have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, behavioral issues as a result of sexual abuse, as well as Posttraumatic stress disorder (Lewey et al 2018). Deblinger et al (2006) found that post-TF-CBT treatment, parents of traumatized children display more effective parenting practices and their children exhibit fewer externalizing child behavioral problems.…”

“…Deblinger et al (2006) found that post-TF-CBT treatment, parents of traumatized children display more effective parenting practices and their children exhibit fewer externalizing child behavioral problems. This modality can be used in a number of settings and with a variety of populations and age groups (Lewey et al 2018).…”

Reducing Aggression Using a Multimodal Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Approach: A Case Study of a Preschooler With Oppositional Defiant Disorder

“…For example, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with school-aged children with externalizing disorders, specifically ADHD and ODD, additionally involves social skills training, problem solving skills, and anger management (Battagliese et al, 2015). In addition to externalizing disorders, meta-analytic reviews reveal that CBT is an effective treatment for school-aged children with anxiety disorders (Reynolds et al, 2012), trauma (Lewey et al, 2018), OCD (Öst et al, 2016) and to a lesser extent, depression (Arnberg & Öst, 2014). Given developmental limitations, however, limited evidence exists concerning this approach for preschool age children.…”

EMDR for children with medically related subthreshold PTSD: short-term effects on PTSD, blood-injection-injury phobia, depression and sleep

“…Two meta-analyses and one review including only a few studies show promising results regarding EMDR for children (Greyber, Dulmus, & Cristalli, 2012;Moreno-Alcázar et al, 2017;Rodenburg, Benjamin, De Roos, Meijer, & Stams, 2009). Interestingly, a recent meta-analysis comparing the effectiveness of EMDR and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) showed that children with subthreshold PTSD exhibited significantly greater reductions in PTSD symptoms following treatment than those who were reported to have full diagnostic PTSD (Lewey et al, 2018). However, the effectiveness of EMDR for children has not yet been investigated focusing solely on children with subthreshold PTSD.…”