A five-day inpatient EMDR treatment programme for PTSD: pilot study.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Psychology
• Trauma Studies
• Clinical Intervention Research

Background:

• Trauma-focused psychotherapies for PTSD are effective but have high non-response and dropout rates.
• Intensive treatment models may enhance motivation and reduce dropout by accelerating symptom reduction.
• Feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of intensive inpatient PTSD treatment require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a 5-day intensive inpatient treatment for PTSD.
• To evaluate the combined use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and trauma-informed yoga.
• To examine PTSD symptom severity changes in a short-term, intensive treatment setting.

Main Methods:

• A non-controlled pilot study involving 12 adult patients diagnosed with PTSD.
• Assessment of PTSD diagnosis using Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5) and comorbidities with Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI).
• Primary outcome measured by self-reported PTSD symptom severity (PTSD Check List for DSM-5; PCL-5) at baseline, end of treatment, and 21-day follow-up.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in PTSD symptoms from baseline to follow-up (Cohen's d = 0.91).
• Nine out of 11 completers showed reliable and clinically significant symptom reduction.
• Two patients no longer met PTSD criteria at follow-up; one patient dropped out.
• No serious adverse events were reported during the intensive treatment.

Conclusions:

• The intensive 5-day inpatient treatment with EMDR and yoga appears feasible and effective for reducing PTSD symptoms.
• This approach shows promise for rapid symptom improvement in individuals with PTSD.
• Further randomized controlled trials with longer follow-up are necessary to confirm efficacy compared to standard treatments.