Comparison of efficacy of EMDR and EFT in PTSD woman Patient Who Recovered from Covid-19

Subject Areas : Woman and family

Mohammad  Akbari ¹ (Ph.D. Student in Counseling,Department of Counseling ,Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran)
Alinaghi  Aqhdasi ² (Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling and Psychology, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran. (Responsible author) [e-mail])
Amir  Panahali ³ (Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling and Psychology, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran)
Massoumeh  Azmodeh ⁴ (Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling and Psychology, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran)
Reaza  Naghdi sadeh ⁵ (Assistant Professor Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Seiences Tabriz University of Medical Seiences Tabriz Iran.)

Received: 2022-10-01 Accepted : 2022-11-11 Published : 2023-11-22

Keywords: COVID-19, Emotional freedom technique, Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, Post-traumatic stress,

Abstract :

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two treatment methods of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and emotional Freedom technique (EFT) in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder in women who have recovered from the disease of Covid-19 in Tabriz. The present study was quasi-experimental based on a pretest-posttest design with a control group.The statistical population included all female patients recovered from Covid-19 aged 25 to 60 years in Tabriz in 2021. Thirty-six recovered female patients sampled using the purposeful sampling method and diagnosed with PTSD were randomly assigned to three groups, experimental group 1 (n=12), experimental group 2 (n=12) and The control group (n=12). Participants in EMDR and EFT sessions were treated individually and weekly in six 45 min sessions.The control group followed their normal daily schedule. All participants were evaluated in two pre-test and post-test stages by a post-traumatic stress disorder checklist. Data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) using the analysis of covariance. Post-test PTSD scores were significantly reduced in two experimental groups (P <0.05). Both EMDR and EFT psychotherapies relieved the symptoms in PTSD patients. However, according to the post-test results, EMDR intervention was more effective than EFT psychotherapy in reducing PTSD symptoms. Additionally, a reduction in PTSD scores in the EMDR group was substantially more significant than in the EFT group. Results suggest greater use of EMDR for PTSD symptoms.

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