New Publications

Two recently published articles may be of interest:

Marcus, S.V., Marquis, P & Sakai, C. (1997) Controlled study of treatment of PTSD using EMDR in an HMO setting. Psychotherapy, 34, 307-315

Abstract:

Sixty-seven individuals diagnosed with Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were randomly assigned to either Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) treatment or Standard Care (SC) treatment. Participants wre assessed pretreatment, after three sessions, and at the completion of treatment using the Symptom Checklist-90, Beck Depression Inventory, Impact of Event Scale, Modified PTSD Scale, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Subjective Units of Disturbance. In addition, an independent evaluator assessed participants using SDM-III-R criteria for PTSD including Global Assessment of Functioning at three data points. The individuals in the EMDR treatment group showed significantly greater improvement with greater rapidity than those in the SC treatment group on measures of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and general symptoms. Participants who received EMDR treatment used fewer medication appointments for their psychological symptoms and needed fewer psychotherapy appointments.

Brown, K.W., McGoldrick, T & Buchanan, R. (1997) Body dysmorphic disorder: Seven cases treated with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Behavioral & Cognitive Psychotherapy, 25, 203-207

Abstract: Body dysmorphic disorder is an illness of generally chronic course which can lead to significant impairment of social functioning, unnecessary plastic surgery and even suicide. It is little understood and treatment regimens have been of uncertain efficacy. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a newly developed psychotherapeutic procedure used in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, grief reactions and generalized anxiety. In this paper we describe its use in seven consecutive cases of body dysmorphic disorder. Improvements were obtained in six of seven patients, five of whom had a complete resolution of their symptoms.

The EMDR treatment time was 1-3 sessions. It appears as though directly targeting the precipitating event and/or intrusive imagery with EMDR can assist in the remediation of the disorder. A recent article has described the prevalence of body dysmorphia in anxiety disordered patients (Wilhelm, Otto, Zucker & Pollack, 1997, JAD). I would be interested in any communications with those presently researching and/or treating body dysmorphic disorder.

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