Early intervention with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to reduce the severity of post-traumatic stress symptoms in recent rape victims: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background About 40% of rape victims develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within three months after the assault. Considering the high personal and societal impact of PTSD, there is an urgent need for early (i.e. within three months after the incident) interventions to reduce post-traumatic stress in victims of rape. Objective To assess the effectiveness of early intervention with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress, feelings of guilt and shame, sexual dysfunction, and other psychological dysfunction (i.e. general psychopathology, anxiety, depression, and dissociative symptoms) in victims of rape. Method This randomized controlled trial included 57 victims of rape, who were randomly allocated to either two sessions of EMDR therapy or treatment as usual (‘watchful waiting’) between 14 and 28 days post-rape. Psychological symptoms were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 8 and 12 weeks post-rape. Linear mixed models and ANCOVAs were used to analyse differences between conditions over time. Results Within-group effect sizes of the EMDR condition ( d = 0.89 to 1.57) and control condition ( d = 0.79 to 1.54) were large, indicating that both conditions were effective. However, EMDR therapy was not found to be more effective than watchful waiting in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms, general psychopathology, depression, sexual dysfunction, and feelings of guilt and shame. Although EMDR therapy was found to be more effective than watchful waiting in reducing anxiety and dissociative symptoms in the post-treatment assessment, this effect disappeared over time. Conclusions The findings do not support the notion that early intervention with EMDR therapy in victims of rape is more effective than watchful waiting for the reduction of psychological symptoms, including symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Further research on the effectiveness of early interventions, including watchful waiting, for this specific target group is needed.

Modified prolonged exposure therapy as Early Intervention after Rape (The EIR-study): study protocol for a multicenter randomized add-on superiority trial

“…Two recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses identified 17 published studies on different early interventions after sexual assault to prevent PTSD and other mental health disorders [ 17 , 18 ]. The interventions included video interventions [ 19 ], psychoeducation and cognitive behavioral strategies [ 20 ], and EMDR [ 21 ]. The effect sizes in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms were in the small-to moderate range [ 18 ].…”

The effect of the online eye movement desensitization and reprocessing early intervention protocol (EMDR R-TEP) for the risk groups with post-traumatic stress symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…In order to eliminate this factor studies with true experimental research design or quasi-experimental research design studies needs to be done. Covers et al (2021) found out that there is no difference in the watchful waiting group who provided psychoeducation and emotional support and two sessions of EMDR therapy group in reducing post traumatic symptoms, depression, sexual dysfunction, feelings of guilt and shame in the rape victims. Our findings should be supported more by randomized controlled trials with control groups.…”

Risk factors for PTSD diagnosis in young victims of recent sexual assault

“…However, a recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) on adult victims of rape, who sought help from a Sexual Assault Centre, studied the effectiveness of two sessions of EMDR therapy in comparison to watchful waiting. The results showed that early EMDR interventions were no more effective than watchful waiting in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms (Covers et al, 2021 ). Roberts, Kitchiner, Kenardy, and Bisson ( 2009 ) suggested that early psychological interventions should only be recommended for those who meet the threshold for a clinical diagnosis.…”