Effect of EMDR in the Treatment of Fibromyalgia

Academy of Therapeutic Sciences, Turkey

Status: Completed

Conditions: Fibromyalgia

Treatments: Behavioral: EMDR; Behavioral: TAU

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06265194

ZAT2024

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this randomized-controlled study is to investigate the impact of EMDR therapy on fibromyalgia symptoms, depression, sleep quality, and traumatic stress in fibromyalgia patients.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does EMDR become useful in relieving pain and complaints in fibromyalgia patients?
• Is specific EMDR Fibromyalgia Protocol effective of fibromyalgia patients?
• Does EMDR therapy decrease depression, sleep quality and traumatic stress symptoms of individuals with fibromyalgia?

Full description

Background: In addition to pharmacological treatments, psychotherapeutic approaches are recommended for the treatment of fibromyalgia. There is a suggestion that Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy may be effective. This study aims to investigate the impact of EMDR therapy on fibromyalgia symptoms, depression, sleep quality, and traumatic stress in fibromyalgia patients through a Randomized Controlled Study (RCT).

Material and methods: The sample for this study comprises 79 individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: the 'Treatment as Usual' (TAU) group and the TAU+EMDR group. Prior to the study and at six different time points (before starting the study, at the end of the 5th, 10th, and 15th sessions, 1 month later, and 3 months later), participants completed assessments, including the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Fibromyalgia ACR 2010 Diagnostic Criteria (Widespread Pain Index (WPI) and Symptom Severity Scale (SSS)), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 (TSC-40).

Enrollment: 79 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Diagnosis of fibromyalgia,
2. Age between 18-65,
3. Compliance with routine medical fibromyalgia treatment,
4. Cognitive and technical competence to meet the working conditions,
5. Volunteering to participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

1. Receiving any psychotherapy,
2. Presence of psychiatric disorders such as Schizophrenia or Bipolar Affective Disorder, c) No other physical and psychological targets apart from trauma needing to be addressed before fibromyalgia pain (e.g., suicide, domestic violence, etc.),

d) Presence of an organic cause that can cause pain.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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79 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention (TAU and EMDR)

Experimental group

Description:

Intervention Group: Received TAU and EMDR Therapists delivering EMDR Therapy provided psychotherapeutic services to clients in the experimental group using the EMDR Fibromyalgia Treatment.

Treatment:

Behavioral: EMDR

Behavioral: TAU

Control (TAU)

Active Comparator group

Description:

Control Group: TAU Routine fibromyalgia treatments, referred to as Treatment as Usual (TAU) in this study, were initiated in the outpatient clinic conditions. TAU are treatments designed by rheumatologists in accordance with current rheumatology guidelines.

Treatment:

Behavioral: TAU