Effects of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing on depressive symptoms, stress and rumination in adolescents with depression: a randomised controlled trial
Background: Adolescent depression patients who have experienced stressful life events usually have more severe symptoms. Existing treatment plans are not effective in reducing the high recurrence rate of adolescent depression. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an integrative ther...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2488558 |
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| author | Siyuan Zheng Yunyun Shen Feng Geng Mengting Ye Suqi Song Ruoqi Wang Shaofei Zhang Yangxu Ou Xiaoqin Zhou |
| author_facet | Siyuan Zheng Yunyun Shen Feng Geng Mengting Ye Suqi Song Ruoqi Wang Shaofei Zhang Yangxu Ou Xiaoqin Zhou |
| author_sort | Siyuan Zheng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Adolescent depression patients who have experienced stressful life events usually have more severe symptoms. Existing treatment plans are not effective in reducing the high recurrence rate of adolescent depression. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an integrative therapy, can effectively alleviate depressive symptoms, but the evidence of its effectiveness in treating adolescent depression is still insufficient.Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of EMDR in combination with medication in treating depressed adolescents.Methods: A total of 30 adolescent patients with depression were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: EMDR co-treated with an SSRI medication or an SSRI medication used alone. The intervention group received standardised EMDR treatment. The primary outcome indicators were the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17) and the Impact of Events Scale (IES-R), while the secondary outcomes were the Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES).Results: In the end, 30 people completed the experiment, 15 from each of the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received EMDR treatment three times a week for 2 weeks, with a total of 6 sessions, each lasting 60 min. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between time and group on children's HAMD-17, IES-R, and RRS scores (all p < .05). Linear mixed models revealed that increasing the IES-R score was associated with an increase in depression levels (estimate value = 0.104, p = .019), while increasing the SES score was associated with a decrease in the depression levels (estimate value = −0.298, p = .021).Conclusions: Incorporating EMDR add-on therapy to medication for adolescent depressed patients with stressful life events can effectively reduce the degree of impact of stressful life events on patients, as well as reduce depressive symptoms and rumination thinking. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-44418ffba48947ef8624808ed9750590 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj-art-44418ffba48947ef8624808ed97505902025-08-20T02:13:06ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662025-12-0116110.1080/20008066.2025.2488558Effects of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing on depressive symptoms, stress and rumination in adolescents with depression: a randomised controlled trialSiyuan Zheng0Yunyun Shen1Feng Geng2Mengting Ye3Suqi Song4Ruoqi Wang5Shaofei Zhang6Yangxu Ou7Xiaoqin Zhou8School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Psychology and Sleep Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Psychology and Sleep Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei City, People’s Republic of ChinaBackground: Adolescent depression patients who have experienced stressful life events usually have more severe symptoms. Existing treatment plans are not effective in reducing the high recurrence rate of adolescent depression. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an integrative therapy, can effectively alleviate depressive symptoms, but the evidence of its effectiveness in treating adolescent depression is still insufficient.Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of EMDR in combination with medication in treating depressed adolescents.Methods: A total of 30 adolescent patients with depression were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: EMDR co-treated with an SSRI medication or an SSRI medication used alone. The intervention group received standardised EMDR treatment. The primary outcome indicators were the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17) and the Impact of Events Scale (IES-R), while the secondary outcomes were the Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES).Results: In the end, 30 people completed the experiment, 15 from each of the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received EMDR treatment three times a week for 2 weeks, with a total of 6 sessions, each lasting 60 min. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between time and group on children's HAMD-17, IES-R, and RRS scores (all p < .05). Linear mixed models revealed that increasing the IES-R score was associated with an increase in depression levels (estimate value = 0.104, p = .019), while increasing the SES score was associated with a decrease in the depression levels (estimate value = −0.298, p = .021).Conclusions: Incorporating EMDR add-on therapy to medication for adolescent depressed patients with stressful life events can effectively reduce the degree of impact of stressful life events on patients, as well as reduce depressive symptoms and rumination thinking.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2488558EMDRadolescentsdepressionstressful life eventsruminationself-esteem |
| spellingShingle | Siyuan Zheng Yunyun Shen Feng Geng Mengting Ye Suqi Song Ruoqi Wang Shaofei Zhang Yangxu Ou Xiaoqin Zhou Effects of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing on depressive symptoms, stress and rumination in adolescents with depression: a randomised controlled trial European Journal of Psychotraumatology EMDR adolescents depression stressful life events rumination self-esteem |
| title | Effects of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing on depressive symptoms, stress and rumination in adolescents with depression: a randomised controlled trial |
| title_full | Effects of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing on depressive symptoms, stress and rumination in adolescents with depression: a randomised controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | Effects of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing on depressive symptoms, stress and rumination in adolescents with depression: a randomised controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing on depressive symptoms, stress and rumination in adolescents with depression: a randomised controlled trial |
| title_short | Effects of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing on depressive symptoms, stress and rumination in adolescents with depression: a randomised controlled trial |
| title_sort | effects of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing on depressive symptoms stress and rumination in adolescents with depression a randomised controlled trial |
| topic | EMDR adolescents depression stressful life events rumination self-esteem |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2488558 |
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