Origin, development, and evolution of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing

• Published in: Clínica y salud 2016-12, Vol.27 (3), p.101-114
• Main Authors: Carolina Marín, Ana Isabel Guillén, Sofía Vergara
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; spa
• ISSN: 1130-5274; 2174-0550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clysa.2016.09.001

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has led to a great number of studies since its appearance in 1989. The aim of this article is to describe EMDR development and evolution to the present day. With this purpose a search was carried out on MEDLINE and PsycINFO with the entry "eye movement desensitization". After revising the resulting 797 articles, those that because of their relevance explained best the development and evolution of the technique were chosen and shaped into a lifeline graphically representing the history of EMDR. Despite the fact that during the first years the focus of research was on the validation of the technique for post-traumatic disorder (PTSD), it was soon applied to other areas. Only 14% of the articles found account for controlled studies. Up to date, in spite of the effectiveness of EMDR for the treatment of PTSD that has been proven, many different explanatory hypotheses are still up for discussion.