Feasibility of EMDR for posttraumatic stress disorder in patients with personality disorders: a pilot study

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic data of the study population (n = 47).

	Total N = 47		BPD N = 22		No BPD N = 25
	n	%	n	%	n	%	Test statistic	df	p
Sex, female	41	87	20	91	21	84	FET		0.67
Age in years, mean (sd)	37.4	10.1	36.2	9.3	38.4	10.8	t = 0.749	45	0.46
Ethnicity (n = 45)							PCS = 3.63	5	0.60
Caucasian	24	53	10	48	14	58
Arabic	11	24	7	33	4	17
Other (African, Asian and other)	10	22	4	19	6	25
Education (n = 45)							PCS = 1.27	2	0.53
Lower	16	36	9	43	7	29
Medium	15	33	7	33	8	33
High	14	31	5	24	9	38
Relationship ≥ 1 year (n = 43)	21	49	9	45	12	52	FET		0.67
Comorbidity (n = 44)
Depressive disorder	22	50	11	52	11	48	FET		1.00
Anxiety disorder	14	32	8	38	6	26	FET		0.52
ADHD	7	16	5	24	2	9	FET		0.23
Eating disorders	4	9	1	5	3	13	FET		0.61
Other comorbid disorders	13	30	5	24	8	35	FET		0.52
Total comorbid disorders, median, range	2	0–4	2	1–4	2	0–3	MWUT = 238.00, Z = 0.086		0.93
Type of trauma
Childhood trauma (n = 44)	36	82	19	90	17	74	PCS = 5.97	2	0.51
Complex trauma (n = 45)	38	84	20	95	18	75	FET		0.10
Accident (n = 45)	5	11	1	5	4	17	FET		0.35
War related (n = 45)	3	7	2	10	1	4	FET		0.59
Bullying (n = 45)	4	9	1	5	3	13	FET		0.61
Physical abuse (n = 45)	27	60	16	76	11	46	FET		0.066
Emotional abuse (n = 44)	18	41	12	57	6	26	FET		0.065
Sexual abuse (n = 45)	28	62	15	71	13	54	FET		0.36
Medication (n = 44)
Antidepressants	21	48	12	60	9	38	FET		0.23
Mood stabiliser	5	11	3	15	2	8	FET		0.65
Antipsychotics	6	14	4	20	2	8	FET		0.39
Benzodiazepines	8	18	4	20	4	17	FET		0.10
Duration of treatment until EMDR, months, median, range	24	4–108	24	9–88	27	4–108	MWUT = 225.50, Z = 0.40		0.69
Sessions including stabilisation, median, range	4	1–17	4	1–12	4	1–17	MWUT = 256.50, Z = 0.10		0.92
EMDR sessions, median, range	4	1–15	4	1–10	4	1–15	MWUT = 266.50, Z = 0.33		0.74

BPD = borderline personality disorder; FET = Fisher’s Exact test; MWUT = Mann–Whitney U-test; PCS = Pearson’s Chi-square

Table 2. Results of EMDR in patients with personality disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder.

	Total N = 47					BPD N = 22	Non-BPD N = 25				BPD N = 16	Non-BPD N = 16
	Pre-EMDR	Post-EMDR				Pre EMDR					Post EMDR
	Mean (sd)		Test statistic	df	p	Mean (sd)		Test statistic	df	p	Mean (sd)		Test statistic	df	p
PDS	35.8 (7.8)	17.5 (11.5)	t* = 7.94 LOCF t* = 6.212	31 46	<0.001 <0.001	36.1 (7.9)	35.6 (7.8)	t** = 0.21	45	0.83	14.3 (8.3)	20.7 (13.5)	t** = 1.61 LOCF t** = 1.43	30 45	0.12 0.16
PDS in remission, n (%)		19/47 (40)									12/22 (55)	7/25 (28)	FET		0.81
DES, median	22.14	7.9	WSRT = 60,00 Z = −3.55 LOCF WSRT = 79.50, Z = −3.59		<0.001 <0.001	26.4	20.4	MWUT = 300.50, Z = 0.54		0.59	5.4	15.3	MWUT = 74.50, Z = −1.80 LOCF MWUT = 232.50, Z = -0.91		0.072 0.37
ISI	17.6 (6.7)	10.7 (7.4)	t* = 2.81 LOCF t* = 2.73	30 44	0.009 0.009	18.3 (6.5)	16.8 (7)	t** = 0.74	43	0.46	11 (8.5)	10.3 (6.6)	t** = 0.25 LOCF t** = 0.35	29 43	0.80 0.73
DSHI, median	14	14	WSRT = 33.00, Z = −1.54 LOCF WSRT = 33.00, Z = −1.54		0.12 0.12	14	14	MWUT = 252.00, Z = −0.028		0.98	14	14	MWUT = 114.50, Z = 0.12 MWUT M = 264.50, Z = 0.31		0.91 0.76
AHRS, median	0	0	WSRT = 7.00, Z = −1.55 LOCF WSRT = 12.00, Z = −2.12		0.12 0.034	0	0	MWUT = 278.00, Z = 0.077		0.94	0	0	MWUT = 79.00, Z = −0.41 LOCF MWUT = 258.00, Z = −0.46		0.80 0.65

*t test for dependent samples, **t test for independent samples, DES = Dissociative Experience Scale, DSHI = Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory, FET = Fisher’s Exact Test, ISI = Insomnia Severity Index, LOCF = Last observation carried forward, MWUT = Mann–Whitney U Test, PDS = Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale, PSYRATS = Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales, WSRT = Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. For the Mann–Whitney U Test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test asymptotic significances are displayed.