Research article summary (published 9 Mar 2008):

Treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: outcome is stable in 35-month follow-up.

Full Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that may follow major psychological trauma. The disorder is longstanding, even chronic, and there is a need for effective treatment. The most effective short-term treatments are cognitive behavioural therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Twenty subjects with chronic PTSD following occupational health hazards from "person under train" accidents or assault at work were treated with five sessions of EMDR. They were assessed with psychometric scales and diagnostic interviews before treatment, directly after treatment, at 8 months, and at 35 months after the end of Therapy. The primary outcome variable was full diagnosis of PTSD according to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Results from interview-based and self-evaluation psychometric scales were used as secondary outcome variables. Immediately following treatment, the patients were divided up into two groups, initial remitters (12 of 20) and non-remitters (8 of 20). There were no drop-outs during therapy, but three patients withdrew during follow-up. The initial result was maintained at the 35-month follow-up. The secondary outcome variables also showed a significant immediate change towards normality that was stable during the long-term follow-up. After 3 years of follow-up, 83% of the initial remitters had full working capacity.

Author information

Author/s: Högberg, Göran (G); Pagani, Marco (M); Sundin, Orjan (O); Soares, Joaquim (J); Aberg-Wistedt, Anna (A); Tärnell, Berit (B); Hällström, Tore (T);

Affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Section for Psychiatry, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. goran.hogberg(-atsign-)gmail.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Psychiatry research (Psychiatry Res), published in Ireland. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-May; vol 159 (issue 1-2) : pp 101-8

Dates: Created 2008/05/05; Completed 2008/07/25;

PMID: 18336919, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Accidents - psychology Adult Chronic Disease Cognitive Therapy - methods Desensitization, Psychologic - methods Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Eye Movements - physiology Female Follow-Up Studies Humans Life Change Events

Life Change Events Longitudinal Studies Male Middle Aged Occupational Diseases - psychology; therapy Outcome Assessment (Health Care) Psychiatric Status Rating Scales - statistics & numerical data Railroads - statistics & numerical data Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis; psychology; therapy Treatment Outcome Work Capacity Evaluation

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