eye movements deemed non-efficacious for reducing public speaking fear

Carrigan, Maureen H. Levis, Donald J.

The contributions of eye movements to the
efficacy of brief exposure treatment for reducing fear of public speaking.

Journal of Anxiety Disorders. Vol 13(1-2), Jan-Apr 1999, 101-118.

Attempted to isolate the effects of the eye-movement component of the Eye Movement Desensitization and
Reprocessing (EMDR) procedure in the treatment of fear of public speaking. 71 female college students who responded
in a fearful manner on the Fear Survey Schedule II and on a standardized, self-report measure of public speaking anxiety
were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups. The 2 independent variables assessed were treatment condition (imagery plus
eye movements vs imagery alone) and type of imagery (fear-relevant vs relaxing). Dependent variables assessed were
self- reported and physiological anxiety during exposure and behavioral indices of anxiety while giving a speech. Although
process measures indicated exposure to fear-relevant imagery increased anxiety during the procedure, no significant
differences among groups were found on any of the outcome measures, except that Ss who received eye movements
were less likely to give a speech posttreatment than Ss who did not receive eye movements. Addition of the eye
movements to the experimental procedure did not result in enhancement of fear reduction. Findings suggest that the
positive effects of the EMDR procedure may be largely due to exposure to conditioned stimuli.

Replies:

This wasn't EMDR, by Sandra Paulsen, Ph.D., 5/21/00 Then EMDR isn't science, by Brian, 5/21/00 Re: Then EMDR isn't science, by a contributor, 5/22/00 Re: Then EMDR isn't science, by Brian, 5/22/00 Re: EMDR is science but Brian has a short memory, by Tired of more recycled rhetoric, 5/23/00 Let's Move On (no message), by Sandra Paulsen, Ph.D., 5/23/00 Let's Move On, by Sandra Paulsen, Ph.D., 5/23/00 Re: Then EMDR isn't science, by Tired of the endless inflammatory rhetoric, 5/22/00 Re: Then EMDR isn't science, by Tired of the endless rhetoric, 5/22/00 Re: Then EMDR isn't science, by your friendly neighbor, 5/22/00 An additional thought re effective use of bi-lateral stimulation, by Deb K, 5/24/00

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