Journal of Trauma & Treatment

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Comorbid Disorders and Personality Traits: A Case Series with 12 Month Follow Up

Abstract

Laugharne J, Kullack C and Stanley S

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing is an established treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder have elevated rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders and personality disorder. This paper reports on a series of seven cases of posttraumatic stress disorder, drawn from a secondary level care outpatient clinic, for which systematic clinical data was recorded using validated instruments, before and after treatment with eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing and at 12 month follow-up. All patients improved significantly in terms of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. There were significant reductions in paranoid, depressive and borderline traits post treatment and at follow-up. There was a reduction in comorbid psychiatric diagnoses and in personality disorder diagnoses post treatment and maintained at follow-up. These results suggest that eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing may be effective in treating comorbid disorders as well as PTSD and indicate a need for further studies with appropriate controls.