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Predictors and Process Moderators of EMDR Therapy for Depressive Symptoms

NCT07033741 · Status: RECRUITING · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 40

Last updated 2025-11-25

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate which factors influence the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for depressive symptoms in real-world settings in Italy.

The main questions the study seeks to answer are:

* Which key factors influence EMDR outcomes in terms of mediators, moderators, and predictors of its effectiveness for depressive symptoms?
* Do lower levels of individual psychological functioning at baseline, including high co-occurrence of personality domains and pathogenic personal beliefs, predict the effects of EMDR in treating depressive symptoms?
* Are baseline psychological comorbidities (anxiety, dissociation, post-traumatic symptoms, emotional dysregulation, and sleep difficulties) and the quality of the therapeutic alliance related to the effectiveness of EMDR therapy for depressive symptoms? Participants will be both therapists and patients.
* Eligible therapists must be certified members of the EMDR Italian National Association to ensure adherence to established standards in the practice of EMDR therapy and consistency in therapeutic delivery. Therapists will identify patients from their routine clinical practice who meet the study inclusion criteria and facilitate their enrollment.
* Eligible patients must meet the following criteria:

1. Being 18 years of age or older.
2. being able to give informed consent.
3. presenting clinically significant symptoms in at least one of the following domains: anxiety, depression, dissociative, or post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Individuals presenting with severe neurological impairment or other severe psychiatric conditions were excluded.

Researchers will combine data from multiple N-of-1 trials (N-of-1 or single-subject clinical trials studies) using a Bayesian multilevel random-effects meta-analysis and meta-regression to generate robust estimates of treatment efficacy.

Conditions

  • Depression, Anxiety
  • Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms
  • Dissociation
  • Psychotherapy Research and Outcome Measures

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

EMDR

The EMDR process follows an eight-phase protocol that includes (1) history taking: gathering patient's background information and planning treatment, (2) preparation: preparing the patient for processing target, (3) assessment: accessing target of the traumatic memories, (4) desensitization: processing target memories using dual task , (5) installation: strengthening the alternative positive cognition, (6) body scan: noting any physical sensations related to the target memory, (7) closure: ensuring patient's stability at the end of the session, and (8) revaluation: assessing effectiveness of the session and future planning.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Turin, Italy

    lead OTHER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-01-08
Primary Completion
2027-12-31
Completion
2027-12-31

Countries

  • Italy

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07033741 on ClinicalTrials.gov