Access to emergency food is critical for the survival and health of vulnerable populations, but its importance is not understood in the context of food deserts. Using a cross-sectional survey based on Albany and Troy, New York, we compared the two food desert models, one based on paid (e.g., grocery stores) and the other based on free food options (e.g., emergency food sites such as pantries and soup kitchens). Structural equation modeling was conducted to identify pathways among people’s access to food sites, food consumption patterns, food insecurity, and health conditions. Access to grocery stores did not show significant links to food insecurity or health conditions, whereas access to emergency food, especially time taken to such food outlets, was found to be a significant factor for increased consumption of fresh food. Among the diet-related variables, food insecurity showed the strongest link to negative health outcomes. Access to free or low-cost options needs to be taken into consideration when designing research and practice concerning food deserts, food insecurity, and subsequent health effects.

There has been much controversy surrounding critical race theory (CRT) and the discussion of race and racism in education. The national emergence of racial injustices such as state-sanctioned violence, police killings of people of color, schools’ pipeline to prison, and COVID-19 racial disparities, in addition to racial justice movements such as #BlackLivesMatter, #SayHerName, and #BlackAndMissing has ignited the need for the social work profession to bring awareness to the pervasiveness of race and to fully acknowledge the role of white supremacy on education, social systems, institutions, legal systems, and culture. This article highlights the need for social work education to develop anti-racist education and practice and increase awareness of white supremacy in the United States. In addition, this article suggests the value of infusing CRT as an anti-racist pedagogy and tool to teach race, actively oppose racism, and organize social change.

Social determinants of health (SDOH) may significantly impact treatment outcomes for depression in primary care. An analysis of patients in collaborative care was conducted to explore the association between SDOH and depression baseline scores and treatment outcomes as assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9). Although individuals’ baseline PHQ9 scores did not differ by SDOH flag, there was a direct effect of SDOH on PHQ9 reduction rates. SDOH did not significantly moderate the association between collaborative care treatment and depression outcomes. Individuals flagged with SDOH showed higher depression scores at the end of the treatment despite a higher clinical dosage. Routine screening for SDOH in collaborative care and primary care should be further explored.

Transition milestones (e.g., telling family members that one is transgender and beginning hormone treatments) are specific transition-related events in transgender persons’ lives that demarcate what their life circumstances were before versus after the milestone was reached. This article examines the relationship between transition milestones and psychological distress in a large sample of transgender adults. Data from the 2015 U.S. National Transgender Survey were used to examine 11 specific transition milestones in a sample of 27,715 transgender Americans aged 18 or older. A majority (64.6%) of respondents reported that psychological distress had affected them “some” or “a lot.” Along with nine of the demographic measures and 13 of the support/discrimination measures, nine of the 11 transition milestones under study were found to be related to psychological distress levels. Reaching specific transition milestones plays an important role in many transgender adults’ lives and may be highly beneficial in helping them to reduce psychological distress.

Latine communities comprise 18% of the U.S. population but account for 27% of all new HIV infections in 2019. Arguably, a key ingredient to reducing HIV infection rate is knowing one’s status. A precursor to knowing is actually getting tested for HIV. The more information one has concerning how social determinants serve as conduits and barriers to getting testing, the more beneficial to all communities, especially marginalized ones. To help fill this knowledge gap, this article utilizes critical race theory and intersectionality as theoretical frameworks, employs secondary analysis of the Latine sample within the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as hierarchical logistical regression modeling to examine the relative impact of health and healthcare, substance use, and key demographics on whether or not a respondent gets tested for HIV. Furthermore, to examine gender differences across these relationships for Latine adults, analyses are performed first for both genders and then separately for male and female respondents.

Sexual orientation intrusive thoughts are a debilitating form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The present study aimed to elucidate how psychological inflexibility and dysfunctional beliefs may impact the relationships of sexual orientation intrusive thoughts and obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms with well-being. A total of 181 undergraduate students completed measures of sexual orientation intrusive thoughts, OC symptoms, psychological inflexibility, dysfunctional beliefs, and well-being. Results indicated positive correlations between psychological inflexibility, sexual orientation intrusive thoughts, dysfunctional beliefs, and OC symptoms, along with negative correlations between well-being and sexual orientation intrusive thoughts, OC symptoms, dysfunctional beliefs, and psychological inflexibility. Psychological inflexibility acted as a mediator between sexual orientation intrusive thoughts and well-being and between OC symptoms and well-being. Dysfunctional beliefs were not a significant mediator. These results suggest that psychological inflexibility may partially explain the association between OC symptoms and well-being, pointing toward the need for future research on the impact of psychological inflexibility on well-being in the context of OC symptoms.

Interventions for functional impairments in adolescents and young adults at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis are needed. Cognitive-Behavioral Social Skills Training (CBSST) has been found to improve functioning in patients with schizophrenia. The CBSST manual was adapted for CHR and implemented across 3 sites. The key changes that were made were to present a focus of normalization and destigmatization of attenuated psychotic symptoms and since CBSST has a major focus on role plays, problem solving and challenging thoughts, examples of these were changed to be more appropriate for this young CHR population. We describe the manual modifications and present fidelity data to examine the success of training and supervision methods in a multi-site randomized controlled trial of CBSST in CHR youth. Fidelity was high and comparable across sites. Case vignettes are presented to demonstrate how CBSST techniques were adapted for UHR individuals to target functional impairments.

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between perfectionism, OCD symptom dimensions, harm avoidance, and incompleteness at varying levels (i.e., higher-order/subscale) in college students. College students (n = 548) completed measures of perfectionism, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, harm avoidance and incompleteness. The results revealed that all five higher-order dimensions of perfectionism were related to incompleteness but only three were related to harm avoidance. Parallel mediation revealed an indirect relationship between concern for mistakes and doubts about actions and checking and cleaning behaviors, respectively, through incompleteness. An indirect relationship between concern for mistakes and doubts about actions with ordering, respectively, through both incompleteness and harm avoidance was found. However, incompleteness played a stronger role than harm avoidance in this relationship. These results suggest that incompleteness might be a stronger motivator than harm avoidance for perfectionistic individuals. Therefore, interventions targeting incompleteness should be implemented to potentially circumvent the development or worsening of obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

We describe the perceptions of mental health clinicians practicing in the United States about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the presentation and treatment course of active clients with anxiety. Clinician participants reported on client symptomology at the beginning of treatment, just before (prior to March 2020), and at a mid-pandemic timepoint (December 2020/January 2021). An initial sample of 70 clinicians responded to a survey assessing their clients’ overall anxiety severity, anxiety sensitivity, pathological uncertainty, family accommodation, and avoidance levels. Of these, 54 clinician responses were included in study analyses, providing detailed clinical information on 81 clients. Findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increases in anxiety severity in the majority of clients; overall, clinicians reported that 53% of clients had symptoms worsen due to COVID-19 and that only 16% experienced improvement of symptoms during treatment. Those who had lower levels of avoidance pre-pandemic and those who increased their frequency of treatment were more likely to experience increases in anxiety severity by the mid-pandemic timepoint. Further research is needed to understand the extended effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety symptomology and treatment.

Violence against women is a public health problem, and it causes psychological damage that should be the focus of psychological treatment. Psychological symptoms include anxiety, depression, and trauma-related stress. Scientific, evidence-based practices are recommended for a high-quality outcome. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a 16-session Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy protocol for women with a history of intimate partner violence (IPV). The final sample included 26 women. The participants were evaluated before the intervention and after the end of it. The study results indicate an increase in the level of life satisfaction, as well as a reduction in anxiety, depression, and trauma-related symptoms. Patients with different histories of violence have benefited from the intervention. Despite the limitations of this study, for example, sample size and the absence of a control group, the results provide initial evidence of the effectiveness of the protocol. This study contributes to stimulating evidence-based practices for treatment for this population in Brazil. Future experimental and follow-up studies are necessary to produce evidence of the effectiveness of the protocol.

EMDR protocols, theories, and guides tend to presume or prescribe a monolinguistic approach. However, there are many bilinguals whose knowledge of a second language (L2) is sufficiently advanced to allow them to interact with EMDR therapists, but who might also possess memories encoded in a first language (L1), which is strategically useful in EMDR. The objectives of this clinical practice study were to (a) describe the real-world use of EMDR therapy in which the L1 of an EMDR recipient is selectively integrated into processing by a therapist who need not know the recipient’s L1 and (b) demonstrate an adaptation of the standard EMDR therapy protocol to support full resolution of memory material among clients with exposure to more than one language.

After 15 years of dedicated and outstanding service, Dr. Louise Maxfield, Founding Editor of the Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, has retired from her editorial responsibilities. This editorial introduces the first issue under the joint editorship of Dr. Derek Farrell and Jenny Ann Rydberg, who highlight the need to address the future of EMDR therapy in general and the Journal of EMDR Practice and Research in particular, and welcome a community-informed discussion on new directions.

The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II) remains the most widely used brief screening tool for identifying dissociative symptoms despite limitations of the instrument and the training of those who use it. Standard eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy procedures require a thorough clinical assessment and formally screening for the presence of a dissociative disorder. This aids development of an accurate case conceptualization prior to the preparation and trauma reprocessing phases of EMDR therapy. Reliance on DES-II mean scores as the sole measure of dissociative features—particularly with persons reporting a history of early childhood neglect or abuse—is insufficient to determine readiness for safely reprocessing traumatic memories. The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) Guidelines for Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder in Adults, Third Revision, noted that employing standard EMDR therapy with individuals suffering from an unrecognized dissociative disorder was reported as a risk for significant harm. EMDR-trained clinicians’ standard practice of screening for dissociative disorders must evolve beyond a casual reliance upon the DES-II. Consistent use of a mental status examination and reliable diagnostic tools is needed. Several relevant assessment tools are reviewed with their strengths and limitations. The authors recommend that clinicians apply these approaches even when their intent is to screen out persons whose presenting difficulties lie outside their scope of practice or research design.

Most research evaluating eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has taken place in community settings, leaving the impact for service users within inpatient environments less clear. This systematic review sought to identify, summarize, and critically evaluate studies that investigated the impact of EMDR on symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within adult inpatient mental health settings. Seven databases were systematically searched to identify published and unpublished articles eligible for inclusion. Eleven studies, published between 1995 and 2020, were included within this review. All studies showed that EMDR improved PTSD symptoms, across a variety of study populations. However, these findings are limited by the (a) preponderance of case study designs (preventing causal attribution); (b) provision of synchronous treatments; (c) poor methodological quality; and (d) high heterogeneity across studies. Prior research has shown EMDR’s effectiveness and safety for vulnerable populations. While the evidence is beginning to support its use with those experiencing PTSD symptoms within adult inpatient settings, it is premature to strongly recommend it as a routine intervention. Future research within this area is recommended.

Bibliometric analysis is a quantitative method designed to analyze large volumes of scientific output data and to map the intellectual landscape of a specific area of knowledge by describing its scientometric indicators (e.g., number of publications and citations, etc.) and structural relationships (e.g., co-authorship patterns, keyword clustering, etc.) between its different components. In this article, methods of bibliometric analysis are applied to the corpus of publications on eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy research. A total of 1,150 papers found in the Web of Science database and published between 1994 and early 2021 were included in the analysis. Retrieved bibliometric data was analyzed and visualized using VOSViewer software. Temporal distribution of publications (number of publications per year); spatial distribution of publications (author affiliations); top journals; impact of EMDR research as assessed by highly cited publications; author co-citation as a measure of collaboration; literature co-citation as a measure of internal structure; and key terms were analyzed. The results of the study provide the readers with a broad, “one-stop overview” of the current state of research on EMDR therapy, with a focus on the quantitative characteristics of its output and on the key represented topics.

This article presents two vignettes on the successful use of the Flash Technique (FT) without bilateral stimulation and prompted without blinking. FT was first developed as a protocol to quickly bring down the emotional distress of a traumatic memory during the preparation phase of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, so that EMDR could proceed. A recent model for FT (Wong, 2021) proposes that, with FT, traumatized clients may be able to access their traumatic memory briefly, reflexively, and without the fear response, during blinking. This sets up a prediction error which, with repeated blinking, may lead to memory reconsolidation and processing of the traumatic memory. Since the access to the traumatic memory is reflexive and brief, the processing of the memory is outside of the awareness of the client and of the therapist, which is consistent with the practitioner’s and the client’s experience with FT. Wong’s model is based on published fMRI data from neuroscience and established concepts in working memory research, and the model will be reviewed in some detail in the article. However, it is also based on fMRI data for spontaneous and not-prompted blinking, and does not require bilateral stimulation, implying that processing could occur using FT without bilateral stimulation and without prompted blinking, relying instead only on spontaneous blinking. Our two vignettes provide two data points that support this aspect of Wong’s model.

During the period of the COVID-19 pandemic from the start of 2020 till late 2021, mental health services—seeking and providing—have gone through various changes and adaptations. In this article, we report on eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) psychotherapy service providers in India, and how they adapted to the changing circumstances during this time, using a narrative enquiry approach.

Major trauma centers have increased survival following serious physical injury, resulting in increased demand for specialist multidisciplinary rehabilitation. We aimed to explore the feasibility of using early intervention eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in an acute inpatient setting, using a non-concurrent, multiple-baseline, pre-post test case-series design. Unfortunately, no patients were recruited. This paper sets out the challenges and reflections of setting up a psychological intervention study in this setting and provides suggestions for further research.

The intensive care survivor population is increasing. Critical illness can lead to long term psychological distress for a significant proportion of intensive care survivors. This situation has been brought into even starker focus with the impact of COVID-19. Critical illness can lead to long term psychological distress for a significant proportion of intensive care survivors. Risk factors for post-intensive care psychological distress include delirium experiences. This single case study describes the therapeutic process and utility of the Recent-Traumatic Episode Protocol (R-TEP), an eye movement Desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy protocol for early intervention, with an ICU survivor where therapy was conducted remotely. The treatment provision is unusual in terms of the use of the R-TEP protocol and therapy not being in person. Treatment response was assessed using three standardized measures pre-treatment, post-treatment and at 4-month follow-up, and through qualitative feedback. The advantages of the R-TEP structure are discussed and the need for further research with the ICU survivor population considered.

This paper advances the biopsychosocial adaptive information processing (BPS-AIP) model and theory (Cotraccia, 2012) by adding consciousness as a mechanism of action activated via social behavior in EMDR. An attention schema is conceptualized as content integrated with dynamic self-models that maintain subjective mental states of biopsychosocial connectivity or disconnectivity. These implicit self-models are portrayed as determining 1) the disposition of the BPS-AIP system of clients presenting for EMDR as more or less connected or disconnected prior to, at the time of, and following, a stressful event; and 2) whether or not stressful events become traumatizing over time. Attention schema theory (Graziano, 2021) is integrated to further describe how establishing and enhancing attentional agency when addressing simple and complex-PTSD facilitates consolidation of autobiographical memory. Self-integration in the context of an attuned therapeutic relationship is described in terms of patterns of tracking attention to promote heightened states of self/other consciousness and activate the innate healing system. Attention schema theory, as a prominent theory of consciousness, adds to BPS-AIP’s compelling description of how an innate neurophysiological system can be integrated with psychosocial components that explain how both subjective and intersubjective experiences are causally relevant to the processing of autobiographical memory.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a biopsychosocial impact on the Greek mental health system by worsening symptoms of depression and stress in the general population. As the need for mental health services increased, the pandemic strongly affected EMDR practice, and training which was mainly online, during 2020. In a small sample consisting of 40 EMDR practitioners, a brief online questionnaire was administered concerning the obstacles that professionals believe they face doing online EMDR therapy in Greece during the pandemic. A conventional qualitative analysis was conducted on the respondents’ feedback by coding the content. Among others, the results showed two categories of practical and psychosocial defects in the efficient application of online EMDR practice. Lack of physical contact, poor application of bilateral stimulation based on technical difficulties, poor computer skills, and physical exhaustion due to continuous lockdown were some of the content subcategories. The results are discussed concerning the current context of the pandemic and local characteristics. Moreover, practical implications for online EMDR practice are discussed.

Recent research has provided new information on the impact of COVID-19 and previous pandemics on the mental health of healthcare professionals (HCP). Several studies have found that HCP are greatly affected by pandemics and may develop anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The stress caused by the intense working conditions and the fear of contracting and transmitting the virus are major vulnerability factors for these workers, increasing their risk of developing a mental health condition. It is therefore essential to provide appropriate support to this population in order to reduce and avoid the psychological burden of the current pandemic on their mental health. Considering the data previously published on the COVID-19 pandemic and past epidemics, the present article aims to provide an epidemiological review of the psychological impact of a pandemic on healthcare professionals. Furthermore, it examines, from a theoretical perspective, whether EMDR early interventions (EEI) may constitute an effective solution in order to provide psychological support to HCP in hospitals. Lastly, the article will identify various protocols for EEI, which, it argues, should be the approaches of choice for providing early support following a potentially traumatic event.

Autistic people commonly experience co-morbid mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and low mood. General consensus is that autistic people can benefit from evidence-based psychological therapies, with the acceptability and effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy becoming a growing area of interest. One hundred and three EMDR therapists were asked if and how they adapt the standard EMDR protocol to make the process and content more tailored to the needs and preferences of autistic people. We analyzed the qualitative responses of participants to these questions, including barriers and adaptations to all eight phases of the EMDR standard protocol. Overall, therapists emphasized the need for flexibility and responsiveness to the individual client, and the importance of autism-specific knowledge and autism-informed clinical supervision. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a widely used evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The mental processes underlying both PTSD and EMDR treatment effects are often explained by drawing on processes that involve the automatic formation and change of mental associations. Recent evidence that contrasts with these explanations is discussed and a new perspective to PTSD and EMDR treatment effects is proposed that draws on automatic inferential processes and can be readily integrated with the dominant (Adaptive Information Processing) model. This new perspective incorporates insights from cognitive theories that draw on predictive processing and goal-directed processes to elucidate (changes in) automatic inferences that underlie PTSD symptoms and EMDR treatment effects. Recommendations for clinical practice are provided based on this new perspective.

Introduction: It has been hypothesized that certain persistent physical symptoms (PPS) may be linked to unresolved traumatic or distressing somatic-symptom related memories. EMDR intervention targets and reintegrates distressing memories, thus reducing the re-experiencing of physical sensations. The primary aim of this review was to examine effectiveness of EMDR for PPS. Secondary aims were to investigate effectiveness of EMDR on secondary outcomes (post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression), and to evaluate the acceptability of EMDR for this client group. Method: Six electronic databases (PsycInfo, PsycArticles, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Web of Science and SCOPUS) were searched for peer-reviewed literature, with no restrictions on publication dates. Twenty-eight studies met inclusion criteria. Studies were included if the primary aim of EMDR intervention was to reduce intensity, frequency or reported distress associated with PPS. Studies were quality appraised using the MMAT tool prior to narrative synthesis of key findings. Results: Studies varied in design and included RCT, UCT, case study and case series. EMDR treatment length varied between studies; 1–20 sessions. All studies reported significant improvement in PPS at post-test. Effect sizes were available to report in five studies and ranged from moderate to large. Improvement in secondary outcomes were reported in all repeated measure studies. Where available, large effect sizes were reported for reduction in anxiety and depression. Overall drop-out rates in studies with representative samples was low (10.6%). Quality of research varied; low (42.8%), medium (21.4%), and high (35.7%). Conclusions: There is promising emerging evidence for effectiveness and acceptability of EMDR for a range of PPS. However, firm conclusions on efficacy cannot be made. While comparisons between PPS presentations cannot be drawn due to methodological differences, the findings for pain and tinnitus are the most compelling due to methodological quality. High-quality sufficiently powered RCTs are recommended to determine efficacy.

Offense-related trauma refers to a trauma reaction following the perpetration of a violent offense. This research explores the lived experience of offense-related trauma, in two forensic patients. The meaning and understanding these individuals make of their own coping strategies, triggers, and treatment, and how this contributes to their behavior, was explored using a semi-structured interview and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Two super-ordinate themes emerged from the data: “Journey to Forgiveness” and “Living with the Whole Me.” These themes and their subthemes highlight the nuances of offense-related trauma and raise the question of how processes such as complicated grief and associated shame can impact on recovery and rehabilitation. The implications of the findings for professionals providing treatment in forensic settings are considered.

Mental health professionals face a high degree of burnout. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (EMDR G-TEP) at reducing distress and burnout in staff working within an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service and if outcomes changed over number of sessions attended. Twenty-two staff attended and measures examining burnout and subjective distress ratings of the targeted memory were taken pre- and post-intervention and at one-month follow-up. 95.5% reported finding the sessions helpful. A statistically significant reduction was observed on total burnout and on personal and work-related subscales; and a significant improvement in subjective units of disturbance was also observed. There was no interaction between changes in burnout and number of sessions attended. EMDR G-TEP has the potential to offer a novel method to improve staff wellbeing within mental health settings. Further research is recommended.

Survivors of early neglect and other adverse childhood experiences often struggle with general and social anxiety, depressive states, and negative self-concept. Trauma-informed treatment strategies for survivors, such as EMDR therapy, exposure therapy, and cognitive processing therapy, tend to focus on resolving memories of adverse and traumatic experiences. Coping skills development models, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR), emphasize training in mindfulness, assertiveness, or self-soothing skills for patients with persistent negative affect states. In the era of trauma-informed psychotherapy, an often-overlooked clinical issue is the impaired ability of survivors of early neglect to tolerate and integrate moments of shared positive interpersonal experience into positive emotional states and positive self-concepts. Survivors of neglect tend to make use of overt or covert avoidance strategies and minimization responses to avoid the discomfort, anxiety, or confusion they experience in what others find to be pleasurable and enriching social interactions. The Positive Affect Tolerance and Integration (PAT) protocol focuses on helping survivors of early emotional neglect to learn to tolerate and assimilate moments of appreciation, praise, and affection. This paper offers principles and a specific series of interventions that incorporate standard EMDR therapy procedures with minor adaptations. In addition to a summary of the PAT protocol, three case examples are described to illustrate selection criteria and potential clinical responses.

There are not enough psychotherapists to offer individual trauma intervention to the tens of millions of people traumatized around the world. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a proven trauma treatment but requires substantial time and financial resources for training. One solution may be low-intensity intervention with the flash technique (FT) offered one-on-one online and based on highly scripted instructions in which participants can work on their distressing memories independently. The FT is a protocol that was originally developed for the preparation phase of EMDR and only requires a few hours of training. In this study, we aim to explore whether a scripted FT protocol used by inexperienced student clinicians might be effective. Nine master-level social work students, trained in FT and under licensed supervision, offered individual FT treatment online using a scripted protocol. Participants were admitted to the study with an Impact of Event Scale—Revised (IES-R) score of >24. Pre- and posttreatment surveys were collected from 30 participants who each received 6 sessions of individual therapy. No follow-up study data was collected. The IES-R data dropped from a pretreatment mean of 45.97 (SD = 14.5, 95% CI = [40.78, 51.16]) to posttreatment mean of 25.33 (SD = 14.92, 95% CI = [19.99, 30.67]), with a p-value of <.00001 and a Cohen’s d = 1.4, showed a large effect size. Interpretation of the study results is limited due to a lack of a control group and a relatively small sample size (n = 30). Furthermore, since we did not follow participants posttreatment, the impact of the intervention over time is unknown for this study. Even so, the data suggested that the scripted FT protocol might be usable even by inexperienced student clinicians, paving the way for its use as a low-intensity trauma intervention.

La thérapie de désensibilisation et de retraitement par les mouvements oculaires (EMDR) est considérée comme un traitement fondé sur des données probantes pour le traitement du trouble stress post-traumatique (TSPT) chez l’adulte, mais il y a des différences dans la façon dont les diverses directives internationales de traitement jugent la solidité de cette base de preuves. En outre, dans des domaines autres que le TSPT de l’adulte, les principales lignes directrices diffèrent encore davantage quant à la solidité de ces preuves et quant au moment où on utilisera l’EMDR. En 2019 a été lancée la Commission de chercheurs sur l’avenir de la thérapie EMDR (Council of Scholars : The Future of EMDR Therapy Project). Plusieurs groupes de travail ont été créés dans cette commission, l’un d’entre eux étant centré sur la recherche. Le présent article a été produit par ce groupe de travail. Le groupe a tout d’abord conclu qu’il y avait cinq domaines pour lesquels il existait une certaine base factuelle indiquant que l’EMDR était efficace, mais que davantage de données étaient nécessaires pour augmenter la probabilité qu’elle soit prise en compte dans les futures directives internationales de traitement. Ces domaines couvraient le TSPT chez les enfants et les adolescents, les interventions EMDR précoces, les TSPT liés aux conflits armés, la dépression unipolaire et la douleur chronique. Les recherches portant sur le rapport coût-efficacité de la thérapie EMDR ont été en outre identifiées comme l’une des priorités à aborder. Nous avons employé un système de hiérarchisation pour classer et évaluer les preuves dans les différents domaines abordés. Après avoir évalué les 120 études de résultats relatives à ces domaines, nous concluons ici que pour deux d’entre eux (le TSPT chez l’enfant et l’adolescent, et les recherches portant sur les interventions EMDR précoces), la force des preuves est évaluée au niveau le plus élevé, tandis que les autres domaines obtiennent le deuxième niveau le plus élevé. Nous formulons également quelques recommandations générales pour améliorer la qualité des futures recherches sur l’efficacité de la thérapie EMDR.

This article discusses the possible benefit of using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in treating competitive state anxiety in two female golfers. Golfers may encounter adverse events during performances, which trigger performance blocks, anxiety, and negative symptomology. Adverse events, or small-t traumas referred to as “athletic traumas” in this study, occurring during performances and processed maladaptively can be associated with increased levels of anxiety in addition to negative symptomology. This research utilized a qualitative method, a case study design, to evaluate if EMDR therapy was beneficial in reducing anxiety related to athletic traumas in two professional golfers. The participants received an EMDR-based intervention related to a designated athletic trauma and self-recorded anxiety levels using the competitive-state anxiety inventory. A key theme noted was the reduction of anxiety levels and subjective units of distress associated with the athletic traumas after the EMDR-based intervention. The result of the study suggests EMDR therapy as an intervention for golfers seeking relief from anxiety related to athletic traumas. Implications of this research provide clinicians with an additional intervention tool when working with athlete populations.

This mixed methods systematic review aimed to provide insight into the clinicians’ views and experiences of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Seven electronic databases (PsychINFO, Public MEDLINE [PubMed], Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL], Scopus, Web of Science and Excerpta Medica Database [EMBASE], and Applied Social Sciences Index) and grey literature (ProQuest and Google Scholar) were searched systematically from inception to October 2021. Quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and a convergent integrated approach was used to synthesize and integrate the data. In total, 14 studies were included: 7 qualitative, 5 mixed methods, and 2 quantitative, encompassing 1,065 participants. Thematic synthesis generated two overarching themes and seven subthemes. The first theme related to the facilitators and barriers clinicians experience in adopting and implementing EMDR, including the role of organizational support, clinician confidence, primary theoretical orientation, and client suitability and preparedness. The second theme related to the perceived advantages of EMDR, including rapid results and positive outcomes, client empowerment, and getting to the root of the issue. This review provides a helpful insight into the factors that influence the dissemination and implementation of psychological therapeutic approaches.

Depuis 2007, des professionnels de santé mentale en Afrique sub-saharienne ont été formés à la thérapie de désensibilisation et de retraitement par les mouvements oculaires (EMDR). Cette étude qualitative a recouru à un dispositif afrocentré avec analyse thématique pour explorer les adaptations apportées au protocole standard EMDR, visant à le rendre culturellement pertinent pour des patients africains. Les participants étaient 25 thérapeutes EMDR (dont trois hommes, tranche d’âge 32-60 ans, ${\displaystyle \overline{\mathrm{x}}}$ = 44) de cinq pays africains, qui pratiquaient l’EMDR depuis 1 à 11 ans (${\displaystyle \overline{\mathrm{x}}}$ = 7). Tous ont répondu à un questionnaire d’enquête, huit ont participé à une discussion de groupe, et deux ont fourni une analyse de notes de supervision. Les participants estimaient que l’EMDR était une thérapie utile et bénéfique et la préféraient aux autres thérapies en raison de sa nature non narrative et de ses résultats rapides. Nous avons identifié quatre domaines dans lesquels les thérapeutes africains ont régulièrement adapté le protocole standard : la formulation du texte du protocole, l’expression culturelle des pensées et des émotions, le choix des stimulations et la simplification des échelles quantitatives. Sur la base des résultats de cette étude, nous formulons de nombreuses recommandations pour des adaptations culturelles du protocole EMDR. Celles-ci comprennent des changements de langage pour prendre en compte la communication « orientée vers le nous » des patients ; des interprétations culturelles des pensées et des événements positifs et négatifs ; l’ajout d’activités culturelles telles que la danse, la musique et les pratiques religieuses comme exercices de ressourcement ; l’utilisation de gestes des mains ou de l’échelle picturale avec des visages au lieu d’échelles numériques ; et l’utilisation de tapotements pour les stimulations bilatérales au lieu de mouvements oculaires, parfois considérés comme de la « sorcellerie ». Nous abordons la pertinence de ces résultats pour la pratique et la formation EMDR. Nous recommandons aux chercheurs africains d’étudier plus avant l’acceptabilité, l’utilisation et l’efficacité de l’EMDR dans leur pays.

L’échelle des expériences dissociatives (DES-II) reste l’outil de dépistage rapide le plus largement utilisé pour repérer les symptômes dissociatifs, malgré les limites de l’instrument et de la formation de ses utilisateurs. Les procédures standard de la thérapie de désensibilisation et de retraitement par les mouvements oculaires (EMDR) nécessitent une évaluation clinique approfondie et un dépistage systématique de la présence d’un trouble dissociatif. Cela permet de développer une conceptualisation précise du cas avant les phases de préparation et de retraitement des traumatismes de la thérapie EMDR. Le fait de se fier aux notes moyennes du DES-II comme mesure unique de traits dissociatifs – en particulier chez les personnes rapportant des antécédents de négligence ou de maltraitance dans leur petite enfance – est insuffisant pour déterminer si l'on peut retraiter en toute sécurité les souvenirs traumatiques. Les lignes directrices de la Société internationale pour l’étude du traumatisme et de la dissociation (ISSTD) pour le traitement du trouble dissociatif de l’identité chez les adultes, troisième révision, le relèvent : l’emploi de la thérapie EMDR standard avec des personnes souffrant d’un trouble dissociatif non reconnu a été signalé comme un risque de dommage important. Les pratiques standard des cliniciens formés à l'EMDR en matière de dépistage des troubles dissociatifs doivent évoluer au-delà d'une confiance aveugle dans le DES-II : l'utilisation systématique d'un examen de l'état mental (MSE) et d'outils de diagnostic fiables est impérative. Plusieurs outils d’évaluation pertinents sont passés ici en revue, avec leurs forces et leurs limites. Les auteurs recommandent aux cliniciens d’appliquer ces approches même si leur intention est d’écarter des personnes dont les difficultés se situent en dehors de leur champ d’action ou de leur plan de recherche.

The aim of this study was to examine the association between the victim vulnerability factors included in the intimate partner violence (IPV) risk assessment tool used by the Swedish police (Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk [B-SAFER]) and rates of IPV revictimization among female victims living in rural towns, countryside, or remote areas. This study also aimed to examine the interaction between rurality and IPV revictimization in relation to victim vulnerability. The sample consisted of 695 cases of male-to-female perpetrated IPV, which had been reported to the Swedish police and subjected to a B-SAFER assessment. Rates of revictimization were examined in police registers. The results demonstrated that several vulnerability factors could discriminate between IPV revictimization across rurality. There was also an interaction effect between rurality and IPV revictimization in relation to the number of victim vulnerability factors present, where revictimization was more common for victims with many vulnerability factors living in more sparsely populated areas.

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a prevalent problem in the United States. Although research indicates that prevention programs have favorable effects on TDV knowledge/attitudes, there is limited evidence of meaningful effects on behavior. This is important, as researchers often measure the former as a proxy for the latter. The present study uses pre-posttest data from students participating in the Relationship Education Project, a TDV prevention program implemented in 19 middle and high schools in South Carolina, to examine associations between changes in TDV attitudes and TDV behavior. Findings indicate favorable changes in attitudes toward controlling and supportive dating behaviors were associated with lower incidents of some TDV behaviors. Implications for measuring TDV program effects and preventing TDV by fostering attitude change are discussed.

The current study investigates how associations between internalized heterosexism (IH) and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization differ for lesbian vs. bisexual (LB) women in Denmark, where queer people are relatively well accepted, and Turkey, where discrimination is still very high. The first purpose of the current study is to explore differences in the prevalence of psychological IPV victimization as a function of sexual orientation (LB women) and country (Denmark and Turkey). As the second purpose, we look at the moderating role of sexual orientation and moderated moderating role of country on the association between IH and psychological IPV victimization. A sample of 257 LB women aged 18–71 years (M = 33.23, SD = 11.15) from Denmark and 152 LB women aged 18–52 years (M = 28.88, SD = 7.70) from Turkey participated. The results of chi-square analyses indicate that LB women from Turkey reported significantly higher psychological IPV victimization than LB women from Denmark. Lesbian than bisexual women from both countries reported more hostile withdrawal and dominance/intimidation-related psychological IPV victimization. The results of moderated moderation analyses reveal that lesbian women in Turkey and bisexual women in Denmark with higher IH were more likely to report experiencing denigration acts. Mental health professionals working with queer psychological IPV survivors may benefit from understanding that IH is associated with LB women’s victimization of psychological IPV, which might be further associated with mental health challenges.

Some victims of interpersonal violence do not acknowledge or label their experience as criminal. This study aims to explore men’s experiences as victims of intimate partner violence and identify the key elements that contribute to their (un)acknowledgment and needs. We interviewed 10 Portuguese male victims in heterosexual relationships who requested formal help. A thematic analysis was performed using NVivo 11. Social gender discourses and expectations prevented men from acknowledging their intimate victimization and created barriers to seeking help. Participants struggled to achieve the social status of the victim and to gain access to intervention measures. These findings reflect the invisibility and insufficient social awareness of intimate partner violence against men and enhance our understanding of the need of those men.

Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is a common and problematic form of personality pathology involving excessive attention-seeking, often through overly sexualized means. Much of the research on HPD has involved the association between HPD characteristics and basic temperament traits. Given the sometimes hypersexualized presentation of HPD, another potential influence on HPD characteristics may be exposure to sexual assault. However, there is little research on the association between sexual assault and HPD in general or with respect to temperament traits in particular. In this study, we examine the relative associations of sexual assault and temperament traits with the cognitive characteristics of HPD in a large sample of college students (N = 965) using a Bayesian approach to the analysis of covariance. Results suggest that sexual assault is associated with HPD cognitive characteristics over and above the robust influence of temperament traits. The study findings have implications for future research on and clinical intervention with people with HPD.

This article presents two clinical scenarios based on antidepressant-induced deaths, which make clear that there are a number of intervening processes in between the valuable data Read and colleagues¹ present and the verdicts that come out of inquests. The manner in which inquests and court cases are structured means that it is very rare for even clearly-proven prescription drug induced deaths to result in a verdict that the drug has caused the death. Instead, a growing number of drug-induced deaths fuel perceptions of a need for more and better drugs.

Central to this situation is a question about how to determine causality in drug-induced injury cases. The idea that randomized controlled trials are the way to establish causality needs to be revisited. Unless there is reform, people caught in situations like the two described here would be better placed holding their own inquests, and finding ways to promulgate the resulting verdicts, rather than “trusting” in a process that is biased against them.

Statistics indicate social workers comprise most of the mental health workforce in the United States. Social workers also abide by the profession’s code of ethics, comprising ethical principles and standards. Psychiatric disorders are predicated on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Psychiatric disorders are ubiquitous, notably in the realm of mental health to help individuals gain access to services and for insurance reimbursement purposes. However, the development of the DSM and diagnoses are not without significant controversy, forcibly placing social workers in a role of practicing in unethical ways, contributing to oppressive practices and social problems.

Modern psychiatry is a house divided. On the one hand, the dominant concept of biological reductionism means that the great bulk of research funding and effort is directed at finding a physical cause for mental disorders. On the other hand, many practitioners are unhappy with the apparent inhumanity of looking at the mentally disturbed as “biological specimens.” They prefer an approach that allows them to integrate psychological, social, cultural, and other historical elements in their management. Unfortunately, until recently, there has been no such model available. The biocognitive model for psychiatry argues that reductionism is wrong, and offers a highly developed mentalist model in its place. The goal is to allow the integration of psychosociocultural information in a formal, scientific model of the mind.

Two publications by Merzon and colleagues in the Journal of Attention Disorders (JAD) suggest that attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) increases the risk of COVID-19 infections (2020) and severe outcomes (2021). Adherence to stimulant treatments was recommended to attenuate the spread of the pandemic (2020). The conclusions of these timely studies attracted considerable attention, probably due to their wide-scope implications for the public health. But how valid are they? Furthering our earlier critique published in this journal, the current article outlines seven severe gaps in these publications, including inconsistencies in the definitions and rates of ADHD, inadequate definition for ADHD medications, omissions of crucial information, unsuitable analyses, and unmet declarations regarding conflicts of interests and data availability. In fact, the latter, which constitutes a repeated avoidance of data sharing (up to this day, March 28, 2023), seems to have led the editor-in-chief of JAD to propose the write-up of the current article (which he then judged, after the peer review process, as “worthy of publication,” but also that JAD is “not the best placement” of its publication—despite its specific focus on several JAD articles). To complete the picture regarding this burning public health issue, this article also provides a glimpse into the problematic happenings that took place behind the scenes, which included a personal defamation and various stalling tactics, along with an elaborated and fully-referenced response that was sent by the authors of the current article to the reviewers and the editor-in-chief of JAD in real time (Appendix). Together, the discrepancies and problematic ethical conducts that are exposed in the current article suggest that the speculation regarding the link between a neurodevelopmental diagnosis (ADHD) and a respiratory virus (COVID-19) has not been subjected to adequate scientific inquiry. On the contrary, the lack of transparency, the observed gaps, and the existing extensive literature on stimulant-related cardiovascular risks, including the recently published guidelines for starting ADHD medications by one of the authors of the 2021 study, raise concerns regarding the potentially dangerous implications of stimulant use during a global epidemic.