The Effectiveness of an Online Eye Movements Desensitization and Reprocessing Treatment and the Role of Avoidance

Abstract

The present study tested the effectiveness of experimental versions of an online EMDR treatment in reducing the emotionality and vividness of a distressing memory induced by a short film clip in a non-clinical population. Participants were randomized to the four intervention conditions. Based on the working memory account, the goal of this study was to investigate whether adding extra activation of the distressing memory while performing a dual task and recalling the memory will be more effective in reducing the emotionality and vividness of the memory compared to only recall the memory, to only perform a dual task, or to recall the memory while performing a dual task. Also, we investigated, whether was a difference in the extent to which participants showed self-reported avoidance behaviors during performing the intervention conditions and whether these behaviors moderated the effectiveness of the conditions in reducing emotionality and vividness of the distressing memory. Pre-intervention and post-intervention changes in self-rated emotionality and vividness of the distressing memory were measured. The results indicated that the emotionality and vividness of the distressing memory decreased over time. However, there were no significant differences for any of the conditions. There was no difference in the extent to which participants showed avoidance behaviors during the intervention conditions. The present findings do not support the idea that extra activation of the distressing memory could be more beneficial in reducing the emotionality and vividness of the distressing memory.