Re: differential mechanism

Acierno's procedure varied from EMDR in several ways. First he had the client identify an image of the feared situation, but then he had the client hold it in mind for 40 seconds (not done in EMDR). He then had the client generate a statement describing the image or affect (in EMDR clients are asked to identify an irrational statment about themslves, not one which describes the image or their affect), and identify the physical response and track the therapist's finger for 20 seconds. Then the client was instructed to blank the image, and relax for forty seconds (not done in EMDR). "Once the subject reported that SUD had returned to baseline levels the procedure was repeated". There is no indication that the client was asked about any changes or that these were targeted during subsequent sets of eye movement (as is done in EMDR). This procedure not only failed to produce any change in outcome measures, it may be the only one in numerous studies which failed to produce any change in within-session SUD levels. The failure of this procedure may well shed light on which components of EMDR are necessary.

Replies:

Re: differential mechanism, by Cahill, 11/10/01

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