Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy v. stabilisation as usual for refugees: randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a first-line treatment for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some clinicians argue that with refugees, directly targeting traumatic memories through EMDR may be harmful or ineffective. AIMS: To determine the safety and efficacy of EMDR in adult refugees with PTSD (trial registration: ISRCTN20310201). METHOD: In total, 72 refugees referred for specialised treatment were randomly assigned to 12 h (9 sessions) of EMDR or 12 h (12 sessions) of stabilisation. The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) were primary outcome measures. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analyses found no differences in safety (one severe adverse event in the stabilisation condition only) or efficacy (effect sizes: CAPS -0.04 and HTQ 0.20) between the two conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Directly targeting traumatic memories through 12 h of EMDR in refugee patients needing specialised treatment is safe, but is only of limited efficacy.