EMDR Intervention for Psychological Trauma Among Syrian Refugees

Istanbul Sehir University

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Psychological Trauma

Treatments: Behavioral: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01847742

2013/1No:4

Details and patient eligibility

About

To implement an EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)intervention to treat the trauma symptoms among Syrian Refugees.

Full description

In this project we aim to treat the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among Syrian refugees through an effective psycho-therapy technique called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Randomly selected refugees will be assessed through MINI PLUS for the diagnose of PTSD. Eighty refugees with PTSD will be randomly allocated to either 7 sessions EMDR or wait-list control group.Symptoms of PTSD (MINI PLUS, HTQ, IES-R) and depression and anxiety (BDI, HSCL)will be assessed at pre- and post-treatment and 4 weeks follow-up.

However, to our knowledge this is one of the first intervention studies which will be conducted in a refugee camp. Therefore we expect to have some practical and logical problems. In order to see the feasibility and efficacy of EMDR among Syrian refugees, before the main study we aim to run a pilot study with less participants. In the pilot we will assess the posttraumatic stress symptoms with Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the depressive symptoms through Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II).

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• trauma symptoms

Exclusion criteria

• pregnancy
• current or past psychotic disorder
• current or past substance abuse or dependence
• serious physical illness
• active suicidal ideation

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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80 participants in 2 patient groups

EMDR intervention

Experimental group

Description:

40 participants with trauma symptoms will be randomly assigned to treatment group and receive EMDR intervention for trauma symptoms.EMDR is a trauma focused therapy starts with resource development and continue with bilateral stimulation while working on the most troubling traumatic memory.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy

Waiting List

No Intervention group

Description:

40 participants with trauma symptoms will be randomly assigned to waiting list as the control group.