EMDR FORUM ARCHIVE, 2000
General comment and comment on Point #1
Shawn Cahill · 10/24/02 at 5:56 PM ET
General comment: We need to consider the context in which this study was designed and executed. Specifically, the only published empirical data available at the time, it appears, was Shapiro?s (1989) study. Comment on your point #1. The sample size needed to achieve adequate statistical power depends on the magnitude of the effect. When you have a large effect, you don?t need a large sample size. So, given the context, were there reasons to expect a large effect size? I suggest the answer is yes. Shapiro, F. (1989). Efficacy of eye movement desensitization procedure in the treatment of traumaic memories. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2, 199-223.
First, Shapiro?s (1989) comments pretty clearly suggest a strong effect of the single-session intervention in her study. For example, in her ?Final Remarks? section, she refers to the ?100% success-rate revealed in this study? (p. 221). She further states that she ?is convinced that enough information has been given here to achieve complete desensitization of 75-80% of any individually treated trauma-related memory in a single 50-min session? (p. 221).
Second, Shapiro (1989) is quite clear about her view on the importance of eye movements: ?It would therefore appear, congruent with the author?s personal experience, that the crucial component of the EMD procedure is the repeated eye-movements while the memory is maintained in awareness? (p. 220).
Third, Shapiro herself only utilized a total of 22 subjects in her study (11 per group) and achieved strong statistical results.
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