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STUDY PROTOCOL article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Psychology for Clinical Settings
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1449150
This article is part of the Research Topic Present and Future of EMDR in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy – Volume III View all 10 articles

Towards international collaboration of clinical research networks for EMDR: The EMDR Pain

Provisionally accepted
Stephanie Vock Stephanie Vock 1*Arne Hofmann Arne Hofmann 2Maria Lehnung Maria Lehnung 2,3Karsten Böhm Karsten Böhm 4Sebastian Wieland Sebastian Wieland 1Guenter H. Seidler Guenter H. Seidler 5Eva Beiner Eva Beiner 1Michelle Hermes Michelle Hermes 1Hans-Christoph Friederich Hans-Christoph Friederich 1Wolfgang Eich Wolfgang Eich 1Jonas Tesarz Jonas Tesarz 1*
  • 1 Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
  • 2 EMDR Institute, Eckernfoerde, Germany
  • 3 Independent researcher, Eckernfoerde, Germany
  • 4 EMDRIA Germany, Freiburg, Germany
  • 5 Psychotraumatologie Praxis Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based treatment, primarily established for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While it is increasingly being applied to chronic pain, its efficacy in this area is not yet supported by the same level of evidence as that which exists for PTSD.Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidencebased treatment, originally utilized in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that is increasingly being used in the treatment of chronic pain. Studies in this area often show heterogeneous results with small case numbers, and the potential side effects of EMDR in the treatment of chronic pain are not well understood. Systematic documentation of treatment effects, potential predictors of treatment response and non-response, and side effects is crucial for progress in this field.Aim: The primary aim is to establish a research framework to systematically investigate the delivery of EMDR therapies by outpatient clinicians in the field of pain. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of treatment outcomes, side effects and determinants of treatment effectiveness, whether positive response or non-response.Methods: This framework will oversee the documentation and evaluation of EMDR interventions delivered in outpatient settings using an Embedded Continuous Cumulative Evaluation Design (ECCED).It will focus on detailed characterisation of positive and negative therapeutic effects. It will also identify and analyse prognostic factors that influence individual variability in response to treatment. Treatment materials, standardised assessments and an intervision platform for regular exchange will be provided.The establishment of the EMDR Pain Network Germany and an interdisciplinary scientificclinical platform is essential to promote clinical exchange and understanding of the effects of EMDR in pain therapy. This platform offers standardised treatment protocols, an online data collection system with anonymised data, comprehensive baseline assessments and an intervision platform for regular exchange. The knowledge gained is intended to personalise future therapies and serve as a basis for large randomised clinical trials.

    Keywords: Englisch (Vereinigtes Königreich) hat formatiert: Englisch (Vereinigte Staaten Chronic pain, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing, EMDR, therapy, network

    Received: 14 Jun 2024; Accepted: 18 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Vock, Hofmann, Lehnung, Böhm, Wieland, Seidler, Beiner, Hermes, Friederich, Eich and Tesarz. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Stephanie Vock, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
    Jonas Tesarz, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.