Article2007

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Fluoxetine, and Pill Placebo in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Bessel A. van der Kolk · Joseph Spinazzola · Margaret E. Blaustein · James W. Hopper · Elizabeth K. Hopper · Deborah L. Korn +1 more

400 citations0/0 files storedThe Journal of Clinical Psychiatry

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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The relative short-term efficacy and long-term benefits of pharmacologic versus psychotherapeutic interventions have not been studied for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study compared the efficacy of a selective serotonin reup-take inhibitor (SSRI), fluoxetine, with a psychotherapeutic treatment, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and pill placebo and measured maintenance of treatment gains at 6-month follow-up. METHOD: Eighty-eight PTSD subjects diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria were randomly assigned to EMDR, fluoxetine, or pill placebo. They received 8 weeks of treatment and were assessed by blind raters posttreatment and at 6-month follow-up. The primary outcome measure was the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale, DSM-IV version, and the secondary outcome measure was the Beck Depression Inventory-II. The study ran from July 2000 through July 2003. RESULTS: The psychotherapy intervention was more successful than pharmacotherapy in achieving sustained reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms, but this benefit accrued primarily for adult-onset trauma survivors. At 6-month follow-up, 75.0% of adult-onset versus 33.3% of child-onset trauma subjects receiving EMDR achieved asymptomatic end-state functioning compared with none in the fluoxetine group. For most childhood-onset trauma patients, neither treatment produced complete symptom remission. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the efficacy of brief EMDR treatment to produce substantial and sustained reduction of PTSD and depression in most victims of adult-onset trauma. It suggests a role for SSRIs as a reliable first-line intervention to achieve moderate symptom relief for adult victims of childhood-onset trauma. Future research should assess the impact of lengthier intervention, combination treatments, and treatment sequencing on the resolution of PTSD in adults with childhood-onset trauma.

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References

1995Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey 1995The development of a Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale 1991Traumatic Events and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in an Urban Population of Young Adults 1989National Institute of Mental Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program 2000Full Report of the Prevalence, Incidence, and Consequences of Violence Against Women 2006Mental Health Problems, Use of Mental Health Services, and Attrition From Military Service After Returning From Deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan 2001Clinician-administered PTSD scale: A review of the first ten years of research 1995Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures

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