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. 2015 May 18:6:27414.
doi: 10.3402/ejpt.v6.27414. eCollection 2015.

EMDR for Syrian refugees with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms: results of a pilot randomized controlled trial

Ceren Acarturk  1 , Emre Konuk  2 , Mustafa Cetinkaya  3 , Ibrahim Senay  4 , Marit Sijbrandij  5 , Pim Cuijpers  5 , Tamer Aker  6
Affiliations

EMDR for Syrian refugees with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms: results of a pilot randomized controlled trial

Ceren Acarturk et al. Eur J Psychotraumatol. .

Abstract

Background: The most common mental health problems among refugees are depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective treatment for PTSD. However, no previous randomized controlled trial (RCT) has been published on treating PTSD symptoms in a refugee camp population.

Objective: Examining the effect of EMDR to reduce the PTSD and depression symptoms compared to a wait-list condition among Syrian refugees.

Method: Twenty-nine adult participants with PTSD symptoms were randomly allocated to either EMDR sessions (n=15) or wait-list control (n=14). The main outcome measures were Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) at posttreatment and 4-week follow-up.

Results: Analysis of covariance showed that the EMDR group had significantly lower trauma scores at posttreatment as compared with the wait-list group (d=1.78, 95% CI: 0.92-2.64). The EMDR group also had a lower depression score after treatment as compared with the wait-list group (d=1.14, 95% CI: 0.35-1.92).

Conclusion: The pilot RCT indicated that EMDR may be effective in reducing PTSD and depression symptoms among Syrian refugees located in a camp. Larger RCTs to verify the (cost-) effectiveness of EMDR in similar populations are needed.

Keywords: Refugees; depression; posttraumatic stress disorder; psychotherapy; randomized controlled trial.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Consort diagram showing the flow of participants through each group. Fifteen participants were in the EMDR condition and 14 participants were assigned to wait-list control condition. The control group did not receive any pharmacological or psychological treatment while the EMDR group received a maximum of seven sessions of treatment (mean=4, 13).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Change in the EMDR and the wait-listed groups’ Impact of Event Scores with Standard error bars across time.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
EMDR and wait-listed groups’ depression scores with standard error bars as a function of time.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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