Effects of EMDR on Psychological Symptoms and EEG Findings in Trauma-Exposed Individuals
NCT ID: NCT07206381
Last Updated: 2026-01-30
Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
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NOT_YET_RECRUITING
NA
40 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2026-03-04
2026-08-15
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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Forty participants meeting inclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to either an EMDR intervention group (20 participants) or a waitlist control group (20 participants). The intervention group will receive 5-7 sessions of standardized EMDR group therapy, delivered face-to-face by trained therapists. Quantitative EEG (QEEG) recordings will be collected at baseline and after the intervention to assess changes in spectral power, frontal alpha asymmetry, and coherence patterns. Clinical outcomes will be measured with validated self-report instruments assessing PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, stress, sleep quality, and overall health-related quality of life.
This study is designed to test the hypothesis that EMDR group therapy produces significant improvements in both psychological symptoms and EEG biomarkers compared to a waitlist control. By integrating subjective self-report and objective neurophysiological data, the trial aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of EMDR's therapeutic effects in trauma-exposed populations.
Conditions
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
TREATMENT
NONE
Study Groups
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EMDR Group
Participants will receive 5-7 sessions of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) group therapy, delivered face-to-face by trained therapists, in line with the standard EMDR protocol. EEG measurements and psychological scales will be administered before and after the intervention.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Group Therapy
Sessions conducted in groups with one therapist and one co-therapist; each session follows the EMDR standard protocol.
Waitlist Control
Participants in this arm will not receive any active psychotherapy intervention during the study period. They will undergo baseline and post-test EEG recordings and psychological assessments at the same time intervals as the experimental group. For ethical reasons, they will be offered EMDR therapy after the study is completed if requested.
No interventions assigned to this group
Interventions
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Group Therapy
Sessions conducted in groups with one therapist and one co-therapist; each session follows the EMDR standard protocol.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* Age between 18 and 50 years
* Either medication-free for at least 1 month or on a stable dose of psychotropic medication
* No medical contraindications for EEG recording (e.g., no epilepsy, no metal implants)
Exclusion Criteria
* Receiving psychotherapy
* Inability to attend sessions regularly due to logistical or cognitive limitations
18 Years
50 Years
ALL
No
Sponsors
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Istanbul Galata University
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Çiğdem Kınık
Assistant Professor
Central Contacts
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References
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Colvonen PJ, Glassman LH, Crocker LD, Buttner MM, Orff H, Schiehser DM, Norman SB, Afari N. Pretreatment biomarkers predicting PTSD psychotherapy outcomes: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2017 Apr;75:140-156. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.027. Epub 2017 Jan 28.
van der Kolk BA, Spinazzola J, Blaustein ME, Hopper JW, Hopper EK, Korn DL, Simpson WB. A randomized clinical trial of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), fluoxetine, and pill placebo in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: treatment effects and long-term maintenance. J Clin Psychiatry. 2007 Jan;68(1):37-46. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v68n0105.
Jokic-Begic N, Begic D. Quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) in combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Nord J Psychiatry. 2003;57(5):351-5. doi: 10.1080/08039480310002688.
Butt M, Espinal E, Aupperle RL, Nikulina V, Stewart JL. The Electrical Aftermath: Brain Signals of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Filtered Through a Clinical Lens. Front Psychiatry. 2019 May 31;10:368. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00368. eCollection 2019.
Pagani M, Di Lorenzo G, Verardo AR, Nicolais G, Monaco L, Lauretti G, Russo R, Niolu C, Ammaniti M, Fernandez I, Siracusano A. Neurobiological correlates of EMDR monitoring - an EEG study. PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e45753. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0045753. Epub 2012 Sep 26.
Pagani M, Di Lorenzo G, Monaco L, Daverio A, Giannoudas I, La Porta P, Verardo AR, Niolu C, Fernandez I, Siracusano A. Neurobiological response to EMDR therapy in clients with different psychological traumas. Front Psychol. 2015 Oct 27;6:1614. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01614. eCollection 2015.
Related Links
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ORCID profile of Principal Investigator
Other Identifiers
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EMDR-EEG-TR-2025
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id
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