'Eye-Movement-Desensitization' heeft geen effect op emotionele reactiviteit van 'normale' proefpersonen

Summary

'Eye Movement Desensitization' has no effect on the emotional reactivity of normal test subjects

Several single-case studies have suggested that posttraumatic stress symptoms and other anxiety-related problems can be successfully treated with one session of eye movement desensitization (EMD). Two experiments were carried out to examine whether EMD affects the emotional response of normal subjects. In the first experiment, subjects (N=40) were shown an aversive slide. Next, half of the subjects underwent EMD while they rehearsed the slide information, and the other half underwent a control procedure (i.e., finger tapping) while imagining the slide. Befere and after the intervention (i.e., EMD vs, finger tapping), heart rate and self-report data were obtained while subjects rehearsed the slide. No evidence was found to suggest that EMD reduced the emotional impact of the aversive slide. The second experiment was conducted along similar lines. However, this time subjects (N=28) rehearsed an embarrassing event that they had recently experienced. Furthermore, a cognitive 'reprocessing' component was added to the EMD procedure. Nevertheless, findings did notsupport the idea that EMD inhibits emotional reactivity to greater extent than finger tapping. Taken together, the results of both experiments are not encouraging; they suggest that placebo effects and demand characteristics may account for the spectacular success of EMD.