The Effect of Dual Attention in an EMDR Intervention (DA_EMDR)

April 22, 2025 updated by: Universidad Complutense de Madrid

The Effect of Dual Attention in an EMDR Intervention for Posttraumatic Symptomatology: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Research to date indicates that trauma-focused treatments are safe and effective for PTSD, even when higher-risk comorbidities (e.g., psychosis or substance use) are present. In particular, there are data pointing to the efficacy of prolonged exposure therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. Clinical practice guidelines specifically recommend trauma-focused treatment with exposure and/or cognitive restructuring components. Regarding EMDR interventions, there are increasing results supporting its efficacy. Some interesting clinical advantages presented by EMDR as opposed to cognitive-behavioral therapies are 1) the efficacy found despite less exposure to the traumatic memory, 2) the exclusion of homework, 3) as well as the rapid reduction in subjective disturbance produced even after a single session of EMDR therapy. However, the mechanisms producing the improvement and, in particular, the effect of bilateral stimulation are not precisely known. More research is needed in this regard since bilateral stimulation is the most controversial part and with less evidence found. In addition to this, there are very few studies that have analyzed the differential efficacy of the presence or absence of bilateral stimulation or of the different types of stimulation possible. As for the comparison between types of stimulation (bilateral with eye movements, or focusing on a fixed point), greater treatment effects have been found for EMDR with fixation on an immobile hand compared to eye movements. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a comprehensive intervention protocol for people who have experienced traumatic events and present post-traumatic symptomatology. In addition, this study will compare the efficacy of traumatic memory processing with and without dual attention.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Enrolling by invitation

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The protocol will be developed following the three stages of recovery from trauma: first, focusing on establishing the therapeutic alliance and safety; second, focusing on recounting and re-processing the traumatic event; and third, focusing on reconnecting with others and with life despite the trauma experienced. This study will analyze the differences of type of traumatic processing; 1. using bilateral stimulation, 2. using fixed-point focusing and 3. closing the eyes (only exposure to the traumatic memory, without dual attention).

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
100

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Spain
    • Madrid
      • Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain, 28223
        • Carmen Valiente

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Those showing a high risk of PTSD (TSQ ≥6 or TSQ ≥4 with clinical criteria) will be further evaluated to determine whether they meet the inclusion criteria. Participants must:

    1. Be between the ages of 18 and 65 fluent enough in Spanish language; 2.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Present severe active suicidal ideation, or have made a self-injurious attempt during the last month.
  • Present a diagnosis of substance dependence, intellectual disability or severe cognitive dysfunction.
  • Participants with a score greater than or equal to 26 on the BDI-II, the inclusion of the person in the study will be assessed by clinical criteria.
  • Having received EMDR treatment in the last 6 months.
  • Also excluded from the program are those people who cannot guarantee continuity in the therapeutic process.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: EMDR+dual attention
.Processing the trauma with exposition and dual attention.
Behavioral: A comprehensive third-generation intervention EMDR + dual attention
This is a individual intervention with a total of 10 sessions. In the processing the traumatic event phase will be realized with double attention.
Active Comparator: EMDR + fixed point
Processing the trauma with exposition and fixed point.
Behavioral: A comprehensive third-generation intervention EMDR + fixed point
This is a individual intervention with a total of 10 sessions. In the processing the traumatic event phase will be realized with fixed point.
Active Comparator: EMDR + exposition
Processing the trauma with exposition.
Behavioral: A comprehensive third-generation intervention EMDR + dual attention
This is a individual intervention with a total of 10 sessions. In the processing the traumatic event phase will be realized with double attention.
Behavioral: A comprehensive third-generation intervention EMDR + exposition
This is a individual intervention with a total of 10 sessions. In the processing the traumatic event phase will be realized with exposition.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from posttraumatic symptoms at 10 weeks and 6 months
Time Frame: Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months
International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ; Cloitre et al., 2018). Higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months
Change from psychopathological symptoms at 10 weeks and 6 months
Time Frame: Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months
Symptom Checklist 45-SCL-90R brief (Davison et al., 1997).Higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months
Change from Dissociative symptoms at 10 weeks and 6 months
Time Frame: Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months
Dissociative Experience Scale DES II (Carlson and Putnam, 1993). Higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from Well-being at 10 weeks and 6 months
Time Frame: Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months
Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB; Ryff & Keyes, 1995). Higher scores mean a better outcome.
Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months
Change from Satisfaction with life at 10 weeks and 6 months
Time Frame: Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months
Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener et al., 1985).Higher scores mean a better outcome.
Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months
Change from Emotion Regulation at 10 weeks and 6 months
Time Frame: Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months
Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ; Garnefski & Kraaij, 2007).Higher scores mean better outcome for functional dimensions and worse outcome for disfunctional dimensions
Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months
Change from Attachment style at 10 weeks and 6 months
Time Frame: Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months
Psychosis Attachment Measure (PAM; Berry, 2006). Higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Change baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2022

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 26, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 26, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 1, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 25, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 22, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • CUP

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Study Protocol Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP) Informed Consent Form (ICF) Clinical Study Report (CSR) Analytic Code

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF
  • ANALYTIC_CODE
  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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