Exposure Therapy better than EMDR for PTSD

Ever notice that the recent positive EMDR RCTs are published in low-tier journals (because they have poor methodology), whereas the studies published in the top journals (such as JCCP, which is just about the best respected scientific journal of the field for those who don't know) show problems with EMDR?

Also, glad to see here that an EMDR advocate has her name on this study (I'm sure to her disappointment). Any comments Louise?

Now, let's start the inevitable apologies for why EMDR didn't "win out" in this one.

Or perhaps instead we can stop this silliness with eye movements and "bilateral stimulation" and figure out what really are the active ingredients that help people with PTSD.

So I call for the closing of this message board so that a new one be opened up in it's place to discuss these things seriously. Perhaps it can be called "Cognitive Behavior Therapy for PTSD."

Comparative Efficacy, Speed, and Adverse Effects of Three PTSD Treatments: Exposure Therapy, EMDR, and Relaxation Training

Steven Taylor and Dana S. Thordarson
University of British Columbia

Louise Maxfield
Lakehead University

Ingrid C. Fedoroff
St. Paul's Hospital

Karina Lovell
University of Manchester

John Ogrodniczuk
University of British Columbia

The authors examined the efficacy, speed, and incidence of symptom worsening for 3 treatments of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): prolonged exposure, relaxation training, or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR; N = 60). Treatments did not differ in attrition, in the incidence of symptom worsening, or in their effects on numbing and hyperarousal symptoms. Compared with EMDR and relaxation training, exposure therapy (a) produced significantly larger reductions in avoidance and reexperiencing symptoms, (b) tended to be faster at reducing avoidance, and (c) tended to yield a greater proportion of participants who no longer met criteria for PTSD after treatment. EMDR and relaxation did not differ from one another in speed or efficacy.

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2003, Vol. 71, No. 2, 330–338, ©2003 American Psychological Association

Replies:

Re:Exposure Therapy better than EMDR for PTSD, by Ricky Greenwald, 04/16/03 Re:Exposure Therapy better than EMDR for PTSD, by Thomas Landry, 04/16/03 Re:Exposure Therapy better than EMDR for PTSD, by Karen, 04/17/03 Re:Exposure Therapy better than EMDR for PTSD, by Andy Card, 04/18/03 Re:Exposure Therapy better than EMDR for PTSD, by Ricky Greenwald, 04/21/03 In response to Ricky, by Cahill, 04/21/03 View from 30,000 feet up, by Sandra Paulsen Inobe PhD, 04/21/03 In response to Shawn, by Ricky Greenwald, 04/22/03 Not quite so fast, by Cahill, 04/23/03 That's my point too, by Ricky Greenwald, 04/23/03 Re:Here's the point, by Landry, 04/23/03 Re:Here's the point, by Sandra Paulsen Inobe PhD, 04/24/03 Re:Here's the point, by Realist, 04/24/03 Different methodological positions, by Cahill, 04/24/03 Re:Different methodological positions, by Realist, 04/24/03 Re:Different methodological positions, by Sandra Paulsen Inobe PhD, 04/25/03 Re:Here's the point, by Carol Ann Rowland, MSW, RSW, 04/24/03 Re:Here's the point, by Ricky Greenwald, 04/25/03 researcher allegiance, by Ricky Greenwald, 04/25/03 Re:Here's the point, by Landry, 04/26/03 Re:Here's the point, by Ricky Greenwald, 04/28/03 Something unique happening in EMDR?, by Cahill, 05/01/03 Re:Something unique , by Fred H., 05/09/03 Let's leave innuendo out of the discussion, by Cahill, 04/26/03 Re:Let's leave innuendo out of the discussion, by Ricky Greenwald, 04/28/03 Devilly & Spence, logical analyses and other stuff, by Cahill, 05/01/03 Re:Devilly & Spence, logical analyses and other stuff, by Realist, 05/02/03 What is EMDR?, by Ricky Greenwald, 04/23/03 Re:What is EMDR?, by Cahill, 05/01/03

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