The current meta-analysis aims to synthesize existing studies on the effectiveness of both trauma-focused and addiction-focused eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) for people with substance use disorder (SUD). Search and selection procedures involved screening 1,733 references, yielding 10 studies published between 2008 and 2021 from 8 countries with 561 participants. After the removal of one outlier study, the results showed EMDR to be effective on a variety of outcomes for people with SUD (n = 9, d = .654, 95% CI [.332, .985], p < .001). Regarding the effects on SUD outcomes, meta-analysis also showed EMDR to be effective (n = 7, d = .580, 95% CI [.209, .951], p = .002). Specifically, EMDR was effective with SUD treatment engagement and severity, but not necessarily the reduction of cravings, and also effective for reducing comorbid posttraumatic and depressive symptoms. This meta-analysis is limited by the number of studies and participants, heterogeneity in methods of included studies, the quality of studies, and other factors.

This narrative scoping literature review explores a significant clinical population, pregnant women with co-occurring substance misuse, through the lens of adaptive information processing and the potential for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy intervention. A data search in PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Knowledge, Science Direct, Cochran, and Scopus databases focusing on literature published within the last 10 years. Due to the distinctiveness of the issue, 10 research articles met the required inclusion criteria. The results confirm that EMDR can deliver effective outcomes for women with co-occurring substance use disorder during pregnancy. However, the rationale for using EMDR as a “sole-treatment” intervention appears insufficient. Instead, there is an argument supporting the utilization of integrative approaches. This review highlights the limited research available for this essential population and discusses the need for further study and investigation.

This article utilizes a country case study design to describe the implementation of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy training in Brazil. The primary focus is on the methodology, adaptations, adjustments, and cultural considerations necessary to incorporate in-person and virtual training in this country. Additionally, the article will explore the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic to address National Government Guidance related to social distancing. This guidance required adjustments to training delivery, clinical and self-practice, clinical supervision, and consultation. Finally, the article outlines the advantages and disadvantages of implementing EMDR therapy training in Brazil, expanding to how models of good practice could be implemented in other countries, such as Angola and Mozambique, to include cultural adaptation, sensitivity, and replication.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has a rapidly growing evidence base; however, research into its changes in attachment security during EMDR therapy is limited. This pilot study aimed to explore changes in attachment security in a clinical sample of adults who received EMDR therapy for symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). It also explored the quality of the therapeutic alliance in relation to changes in attachment security. A within-subject, repeated-measures design was used. Eighteen participants received fifteen EMDR sessions on average and completed self-report measures of attachment, PTSD, CPTSD, and therapeutic alliance. A decrease in attachment insecurity was observed. Changes in attachment security were partially associated with the quality of the therapeutic alliance and changes in symptomatology. This study contributes to the emerging literature on change in attachment and EMDR therapy.

Most mental health clinicians treating trauma survivors are exposed to repeated details of clients’ traumatic experiences, and some of these clinicians may experience symptoms of indirect trauma through vicarious traumatization (VT), which has the potential of negatively impacting professional quality of life (ProQOL). The ProQOL Scale was developed to measure both negative and positive effects of working with those who have experienced traumatic stress. The purpose of this study was to determine if clinicians who are trained in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, as compared to trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) and prolonged exposure (PE), would relate to aspects of their ProQOL differently. Second, it was hypothesized that the ProQOL model would predict VT in TF-CBT and PE clinicians, but not in EMDR therapy clinicians. Fifty-four trauma clinicians who reported their primary modality of treatment as EMDR, PE, and TF-CBT were studied. Participants completed a survey that included demographic information, the ProQOL Scale, and the Vicarious Trauma Scale (VTS). Hierarchical ordinary least squared regression revealed that the empirical ProQOL model did not predict VT scores in EMDR therapy clinicians as it did for non-EMDR therapy clinicians. This study implies that there could be aspects of the EMDR therapy methodology that may support a clinician’s healthy worldview when empathetically bonding with traumatized clients, thereby fostering longevity for both clients and clinicians.

This study provides a comprehensive examination of mass shootings in America (2006–2020). Specifically, this work identifies offender, victim, and incident characteristics, incidence rates, and differences between public, family, and felony mass shootings. Findings indicate consistent characteristics across all mass shootings include male offenders and the use of handguns. Family mass shootings had the highest incidence rate. Family and the felony mass shootings largely involved close offender-victim relationships, no victim injuries, and private locations. Oft-considered public mass shootings involving stranger victims, higher victim counts, and public locations do not reflect the overall phenomenon. Implications offer insight for understanding and addressing the mass shooting problem.

Limited research examines graduate student experiences with intimate partner violence (IPV) or bystander intervention. In this exploratory study, we compare the extent of opportunity to intervene in suspected IPV, how students tried to help, and barriers to intervention for undergraduate (n = 698) and graduate students (n = 967) at one university using data from stratified random samples of students. Graduate students indicated significantly less opportunity to intervene than undergraduate students (16.2% vs. 35.5%). Among students with the opportunity, however, similar proportions of undergraduate and graduate students tried to help, with most confronting the situation directly. Among those who did not try to help, graduate students commonly endorsed “not knowing what to do,” suggesting an opportunity to enhance prosocial intervention skills among this population through targeted bystander-based training initiatives.

Conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence is common in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, but there are few evaluations of multisectoral training interventions in conflict settings. We conducted high-quality, trauma-informed medicolegal trainings amongst multisectoral professionals and sought to describe changes in knowledge after training and perceived training acceptability. Participants were health, law enforcement, and legal professionals who completed training at one of four sites from January 2012 to December 2018. Twelve trainings were randomly selected for evaluation. We conducted pre- and post-training assessments and semi-structured interviews of participants within 12 months of index training. Forty-six trainings of 1,060 individuals were conducted during the study period. Of the randomly selected trainings, 368 questionnaires were included in the analysis (36% health, 31% legal, 12% law enforcement, 21% other). The mean knowledge scores (standard deviation) significantly improved after training: 77.9 (22.9) vs. 70.4 (20.8) (p <0.001). Four key benefits were identified: 1) improved cross-sector coordination; 2) enhanced survivor-centered care; 3) increased standardization of forensic practices; and 4) higher quality evidence collection. Participants completing the training had improved knowledge scores and perceived several key benefits, suggesting the multisectoral training was acceptable in this under-resourced, conflict region.

PTSD symptoms and psychological inflexibility have been linked to a lack of self-compassion and poor psychological health. Prior work has explored these relationships in a trauma-exposed undergraduate population and found that, while self-compassion was correlated with PTSD symptom severity at the bivariate level, this relationship was no longer significant when accounting for psychological inflexibility. Additionally, self-compassion and psychological inflexibility predicted psychological health. The present study sought to test these findings in PTSD patients enrolled in an exposure-based partial hospitalization program. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-consistent measures (i.e., Valued Living Questionnaire, Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale [Short Form], Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire [Short Form]) were used to assess psychological health. The PTSD checklist for DSM-5 and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (II) were used to measure PTSD symptoms and Psychological Inflexibility, respectively. Our results were largely consistent with previous investigations. We found a negative relationship between psychological inflexibility and psychological health, as well as a positive relationship between psychological inflexibility and PTSD symptom severity. Future research should measure these constructs across different time points to explore the benefit of viewing self-compassion and other related constructs (e.g., courage and love) as values in an ACT model for PTSD treatment.

Despite the recent expansion of sex trafficking awareness, prevention, and aftercare services, knowledge about sex trafficking remains limited by the systemic exclusion of survivors’ voices and strengths from sex trafficking epistemology. Notably, little research examines sex trafficking survivors’ experiences, their critiques of the counter-trafficking movement, nor their recommendations for how the counter-trafficking movement could be improved to better meet survivors’ needs. In this qualitative study, we adhered to an Intersectional-Standpoint Methodology (ISM) to explore sex trafficking survivors’ perceptions of the counter-trafficking movement and their barriers to sex trafficking exit. The results of this study suggest that survivors encounter numerous barriers to sex trafficking exit, including internal barriers, social barriers, and systemic-institutional barriers. Results point towards recommendations for improving service delivery systems by building upon sex trafficking survivors’ strengths and resilience and by reducing their many barriers to exit. By implementing these recommendations, counter-trafficking advocates at all levels of practice can increase sex trafficking survivors’ access to effective, survivor-informed aftercare services.