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Does rapid eye movement desensitization facilitate emotional processing?

F Tallis1, E Smith

  • 1Department of Psychological Medicine, South Kensington & Chelsea Mental Health Centre, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London, England.

Behaviour Research and Therapy
|May 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Rapid eye movement desensitization (REMD) may impair emotional processing, unlike slow eye movements or stationary imagery. This suggests REMD alone might not be as effective for treating traumatic memories as previously thought.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Trauma Treatment

Background:

  • Rapid eye movement desensitization (REMD) is a component of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.
  • Previous research on REMD's standalone efficacy for traumatic memories is limited and lacks control.
  • The specific contribution of REMD to therapeutic outcomes in EMDR remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the exclusive effects of REMD on emotional processing.
  • To compare REMD with slow eye movement desensitization (SEMD) and stationary imagery (SI) conditions.
  • To determine if REMD is essential for therapeutic gains in trauma treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Participants were exposed to a contrived trauma.
  • Subjects were divided into three groups: REMD, SEMD, and SI (no eye movement).

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  • Emotional processing was measured across the three conditions.

    • Main Results:

    • The REMD group showed significantly impaired emotional processing compared to SEMD and SI groups.
    • No significant differences in emotional processing were observed between the SEMD and SI groups.
    • This indicates that eye movements, specifically rapid ones, may hinder rather than help emotional processing.

    Conclusions:

    • Rapid eye movement desensitization (REMD) alone may negatively impact emotional processing.
    • Therapeutic gains in EMDR may not solely depend on the REMD component.
    • Slow eye movements or stationary imagery appear more conducive to emotional processing than REMD.