Examination of Initial Evidence for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing as a Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating psychological condition that impacts millions of people globally. The front-line psychological intervention for OCD is exposure/response prevention (ERP), however, many individuals do not respond to this treatment approach. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a new therapeutic option which could be effective in treating OCD. This review examined the initial evidence for the effectiveness of EMDR in reducing OCD symptoms. Nine studies were included in the review, including six case studies and three group studies. Results indicate that EMDR is a promising candidate for treating OCD, with all studies showing EMDR therapy resulted in reduced symptoms from baseline. Results also indicated that EMDR may be as effective as ERP, and more effective than selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in treating OCD.