Case Study and Research On EMDR For Combat PTSD
Case Study and Research On EMDR For Combat PTSD
Case Study and Research On EMDR For Combat PTSD
Evaluation of
Research:
Using EMDR in
Mental Health
Treatment of Combat
Veterans
Description
The case study of this EMDR research evaluation is a highly decorated, sixty-eight-year-
old, United States Marine, six combat-tour veteran of the Vietnam War, whose medals
designating combat valor include the Bronze Star and Navy Achievement medal. Additionally,
he earned three (3) Purple Hearts and is also a former prisoner of war (POW). For the purposes
Sgt., originally from Texas, currently resides with his fourth wife in the New England
town of Danbury, located in Connecticut. Since leaving the Marine Corps following his tours of
service in Vietnam, he has held multiple professions. Some less revered than others both
licensed electrician for thirty years before finally retiring several years ago.
Sgt. has multiple combat and service related injuries, coupled with Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD), and comorbid Substance use Disorder (SUD), primarily Irish whiskey;
Jameson, to be precise. Yet, to his credit, he has been enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Health
Care System (VA) and is permanently and totally disabled as determined by the VA. He
currently attends weekly group psychotherapy sessions with fellow combat veterans at a nearby
VA facility, weekly AA meetings, remains involved with camaraderie based combat veterans
organizations, and has been utilizing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
treatment, outside of the VA, for the previous year-and-a-half. His utilization of these valuable
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resources have enabled him to improve his quality of life, reduce symptoms of Post Traumatic
While his life journey has been wrought with hardships and trauma, his resilience is both
perplexing and exemplarily of the power of Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) (Jayawickreme &
Blackie, 2014) and neurogenesis (Applegate & Shapiro, 2005; Erickson et al., 1998; Gould et al.,
1999; Gross, 2000). However, herein the focus is on his utilization of EMDR and the efficacy
Problem Formulation
The prevalence of PTSD amongst combat veterans is well researched (Kang et al., 2014;
Leardman, et al., 2013; Thompson, 2016; VA, 2016, Kemp & Bosarte, 2012; JAMA, 2014).
Since the wars following the attacks of September 11th, 2001 research funding for PTSD has
been plentiful and the data, as a result, is rich in valuable information across multiple correlates.
However, that was not the case during prior conflicts such as Vietnam where Sgt. had endured
six combat tours and witnessed repeated traumatic exposures that had gone both untreated and
The result was, until about 2013, a post combat existence inclusive of undiagnosed
symptomatic expression of most symptoms of PTSD: Hyper vigilance, disturbing and intrusive
cognition and mood, persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the previous exposure to
multiple traumatic events, negative self beliefs, anger, guilt, shame, detachment, estrangement
from others, sleep disturbances, reckless and self destructive behavior (APA, 2013; Dryden-
Edwards & Stoppler, 2014; PTSD, 2014 ). To cope and or escape from the symptoms, Sgt.
resorted to the overuse of alcohol, and reckless behavior which repeated data demonstrates is
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In 2012, Sgt, was aware that something needed to be done to intervene. By this time he
was in his fourth marriage and the combination of both physical injuries and the full-scale
manifestations of PTSD and substance abuse had taken a toll on his quality of life such that
creeping ideations of self destruction to end the pain were now haunting him while both awake
and asleep.
He had been attending group sessions with fellow combat veterans, but distrust of some
of the members created aggravation and frustration. He had attempted to curb his use of alcohol
with limited and short-term success. However, in 2013 he got involved with a local veterans
advocacy agency, Operation Vet Fit, where he began to attend the combat agencys camaraderie
based events. It was here that he warmed up to the idea of utilizing EMDR and began treatment
Theoretical Orientation
EMDR
applications including comprehensive worksheets for client assessment, case formulation, and
treatment as well as scripts for various procedures (Shapiro, 2006) taking place along a three-
pronged protocol that includes processing of past events (traumas) that have set the foundation
for the pathology (symptoms), current triggers, while providing templates for appropriate future
functioning to address skill and developmental deficits that are all believed to contribute to
With research data supporting reductions in chronic pain (Ray & Zbik, 2001), PTSD,
anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as improved sleep, quality of life and perception of
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stress in as little as five sessions (Raboni, Tufik & Suchecki, 2006), EMDR has seen rapid
Another aspect of EMDR, which seems to highlight its popularity amongst combat
veterans is that it does not require the typical homework and sustained arousal or detailed
descriptions of traumatic events (Shapiro, 2012) typical of other cognitive processing therapies.
Utilizing the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model to explain clinical effects,
EMDR is an integrative and distinct approach from other forms of psychotherapy (Shapiro,
Adaptive Information Processing. The AIP model posits that memory is associated,
thus learning occurs through the creation of new associations (Van der Kolk, 2002, 2003).
associations and thus reprocessing the memory to result in more adaptive outcomes (reduction of
information in other memory networks producing a reduction in PTSD and other symptoms (Van
a synergistic interaction of multiple mechanisms with many finding a direct effect on emotional
arousal, attentional flexibility, retrieval, distancing and memory association (Gunter, & Bodner,
2008; Lee & Drummond, 2008; Schubert & Drummond, 2011); van den Hout, Muris, Salemink,
& Kindt, 2001). Eye movements change the somatic perceptions accompanying retrieval,
leading to decreased affect, and therefore decreasing image vividness and emotionality (van den
Hout, et al., 2001). EMDR contains both procedures and elements that contribute to treatment
inspection.
changes in cortical, and limbic activation patterns, and increase in hippocampal volume (Bossin,
Fagiollin & Castrogiovanni, 2007; Bossini, Tavanti, callossi et al., 2011; Van der Kolk,
arousal. Specifically, decreases in heart rate and skin conductance response after a single EMDR
session (Aubert-Khaifi & Blin, 2008; Frustaci, Lanza, Fernandez et al., 2010). Further research
concluded that the eye movements during EMDR activate cholinergic activity and inhibit
sympathetic systems. The reactivity has similarities with the pattern during REM sleep
EMDR has garnered broad acceptance as an effective evidence based intervention (EBI)
for the combat veteran population (Carlson, Chemtob, Rusnak, et al.1998; Cook, Biyanova, &
Coyne, 2009; Errebo & Sommers-Flanagan, 2007; McLay, Webb-Murphy, Fesperman, et al.
2016; Russell, 2006; Russell & Figley, 2013; Russell, Silver, Rogers & Darnell, 2007 ; Silver,
Rogers & Russell, 2008). One reason noted in the American Psychiatric Association Practice
Guidelines (2004, p.18), in EMDR therapy traumatic material need not be verbalized; instead,
patients are directed to think about their traumatic experiences without having to discuss
them. This approach creates a willingness to initiate treatment, the likelihood for higher
combat PTSD and reported that pre-post changes were significant on all measures. A recent
program evaluation of active duty military by McLay et al. (2016), compared various forms of
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treatment and reported results indicating that patients receiving EMDR had significantly fewer
therapy sessions over 10 weeks but had significantly greater shifts in their PCLM scores than
Meta-analysis
EMDR has been demonstrated equally as or more effective than all other interventions
for PTSD (Bisson, Roberts, Andrew et al., (2013). The additive effect of eye movements in
EMDR treatment studies has been repeatedly demonstrated as either moderate or large and
significant (Lee & Culjpers, 2013). Recently, EMDR has joined cognitive behavioral therapy
(CBT) as the most often studied type of effective psychotherapy (Watts, et al., 2013).
Multiple randomized clinical trials demonstrate not only repeated PTSD treatment
efficacy but moreover, long-term and sustained treatment effects with a relatively small number
of sessions when compared to other treatment interventions (Carlson, Chemtob, Rusnak, et al.,
1998; Hogberg, et al., 2008; Marcus, Marquis & Sakai, 2004; Nijdam, gersons, reitsma et al.,
2012; Van der Kol, Reitsma, jongh et al., 2012 & Wilson, Becker & Tinker, 1997).
Non-Randomized Studies
Multiple studies demonstrate that service members receiving EMDR require significantly
less sessions and benefit from significantly greater gains in reduction symptomatic expression of
PTSD (Mcay, Webb, Fesperman et al., 2016). In another study, active-duty military personnel
were treated with EMDR therapy whereby results indicated that the disturbance associated with
the targeted traumatic memories had been largely eliminated and a new more positive
Sgt. has been utilizing EMDR for over sixteen months due to the multitude of traumatic
events he has endured, each requiring a period of reprocessing. His current duration of EMDR
utilization is nearly three-times longer than normally required for single trauma clients. It is very
likely that he will require continued treatment for the foreseeable future. He has a strong desire
to reduce symptomatic expression of his PTSD symptoms. More specifically, his recurrent
flashbacks and vivid nightmares. Furthermore, he seeks to control his problematic consumption
of alcohol. Therefore our treatment goal is the reduction of alcohol intake coupled with an
overall improved mood and reduction of PTSD symptoms. To measure his process throughout
treatment, standard PTSD, Depression and Alcohol abuse measures have been utilized as
detailed below:
M) (Weathers, Litz, Herman, Huska, & Keane, 1993) (Appendix A) was implemented due to its
high reliability = 0.94 (Norris & Hamblen, 2003). A score of 17-33 represents low Post
Traumatic Stress (PTS); 34-43 is representative of moderate PTS and a score between 44-85
demonstrates high PTS. Evidence for the PCL for DSM-IV suggests that a 5-10 point downward
scoring change represents reliable change and a 10-20 point change represents clinically
significant change. For this scale, it is Sgt.s hope to obtain clinically significant downward
scoring change.
Depression. Was assessed utilizing the standardized Beck Depression Inventory (BDI),
(Appendix B), a 21-item, self-report rating inventory that measures characteristic attitudes and
symptoms of depression (Beck, et al., 1961). Internal consistency for the BDI ranges from .73 to
.92 with a mean of .86. (Beck, Steer, & Garbin, 1988). The BDI demonstrates high internal
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consistency, with alpha coefficients of .86 and .81 for psychiatric and non-psychiatric
populations respectively (Beck et al., 1988). Scoring of 1-10 is considered normal; 11-16
represents mild mood disturbance 17-20 is indicative of borderline clinical depression; 21-30
moderate depression; 31-40 Severe depression and scoring over 40 demonstrates extreme
depression.
Alcohol abuse severity. Was assessed with the standardized CAGE (Ewing, 1984),
(Appendix C), a 4-item questionnaire that assesses the presence of clinically significant alcohol
reported the median internal consistency was = 0.74. (Shields & Caruso, 2004). A score of 2 or
expression of PTSD coupled with a lessening of depression based scores with the hopes of a
reduction in CAGE scoring. The following (Chart 1) cover the period of seventeen months from
February 2016 thru July 2017 and reflect the actual results, as reflected in the standardized PCL-
Results
period of EMDR treatment of thirty-two sessions, for approximately 60-90 minutes per session
covering a seventeen-month period, Sgt.s PCL-M and BDI score reductions are clinically
significant, while his CAGE score increased. Deeper evaluation of each are provided below:
PTSD
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Depression
Sgt.s BDI score of 55, which had represented extreme depression, has been reduced to a
Alcohol Abuse
Sgt.s CAGE score, from 2 to 3 (both clinically significant) interestingly, has increased.
Upon further inspection, it appears that his answer specific to awareness of the need to cut down
drinking and feeling guilty about his drinking became stronger with EMDR treatment ultimately
resulting in his current utilization of weekly AA meetings and repeated attempts to stop
consuming alcohol. In this case example, an increase in CAGE score, when the answers are
evaluated, appear to represent a positive change leading to an actual measured reduction in his
Chart 1.
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Appendix A.
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Appendix B.
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Appendix B. Cont.
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Appendix C.
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