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Treating Spider Phobics with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: A Controlled Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

Peter Muris and
Harald Merckelbach
Peter Muris
Affiliation:
Limburg University, The Netherlands
Harald Merckelbach
Affiliation:
Limburg University, The Netherlands
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Extract

The present study examined the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in the treatment of a specific phobia. Twenty-four spider phobic subjects were randomly assigned to either (1) an EMDR group (n=8), (2) an imaginal exposure group (n=8), or (3) a control group (n=8). Both the EMDR and the imaginal exposure group underwent a one-hour treatment. The control group initially received no treatment, and waited for one hour. Next, all groups received exposure in vivo. Treatment outcome was evaluated with a standardized Behavioural Avoidance Test (BAT). No evidence was found for EMDR being more effective than imaginal exposure or waiting list control. In fact, only exposure in vivo therapy resulted in significant improvement on the BAT.

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Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 25 , Issue 1 , January 1997, pp. 39 - 50
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1997

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