EMDR–Teens–cPTSD: Efficacy of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing in Adolescents with Complex PTSD Secondary to Childhood Abuse: A Case Series

Abstract

Background: Mental healthcare for children and adolescents with a history of childhood abuse constitutes a major public health issue. Indeed, abuse exposes children to severe and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD) but also to neurodevelopmental and psychological repercussions impacting the developmental trajectory. Trauma-focused care is essential to avoid the chronicization of symptoms and disorders. Objective: The aim of this prospective case series study was to investigate the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) on complex post-traumatic symptoms and associated psychiatric disorders in adolescents with a history of abuse. Method: Twenty-two adolescents, aged 12 to 17, who had been abused during childhood were included. All adolescents met ICD-11 criteria for complex PTSD. Subjective measures of PTSD and associated psychiatric disorders were taken before (T0) and after 3 months of EMDR therapy (T1). Results: The average PTSD symptom score on the CPTS-RI significantly decreased from 40.2 to 34.4 after EMDR, indicating improvement in post-traumatic symptoms. A significant decrease in the average depression score (CDI from 18.2 at T0 to 10.6 at T1), anxiety score (R–CMAS from 21.3 at T0 to 13.3 at T1), emotional regulation score (ALS from 29 at T0 to 10.8 at T1), insomnia score (ISI from 18.5 at T0 to T1 of 9.2 at T1), and harmful use of alcohol and drugs score (ADOSPA from 2.3 at T0 to 0.3 at T1) was observed after EMDR therapy, as well as an increase in quality of life (CBCL 4–16 score from 57.9 at T0 to 77.4 at T1). Conclusions: The results of this study are encouraging and suggest that EMDR may be effective in the symptom management reducing post-traumatic symptoms and certain comorbid disorders frequently seen in adolescents who have experienced childhood abuse. Further research is needed on adolescent populations suffering from cPTSD (e.g., randomized controlled trials with control groups and other therapies or evaluating the action of the different phases of the study).