Effectiveness of Systematic Desensitization through Eye Movement and Reprocessing on Reducing Severity of Major Depression in Women

The present study aims at measuring the effectiveness of systematic desensitization through eye movement and reprocessing (EMDR) on reducing the severity of major depression. EMDR is a kind of hybrid treatment which relates traumas and disorders to the way the brain processes and stores data, uses behavioral techniques such as simultaneous exposure to intentional and rapid movements of pupil and deals with cognitive restructuring. Methodology: experimental design of single subject was administered on four people suffering from major depression over five sessions using multi-step baseline design. Follow-ups happened quarterly and annually. Data collection tools included a self-made demographic inventory, depression and distress inventory and EMDR treatment tool and measurement scales of cognition validity and SUD. Findings: EMDR caused significant changes in both reduction of major depression and SUD and increase of higher level of trust in validity cognition. Conclusion: the results suggested that EMDR was effective in decreasing the rate of depression severity through cognitive and emotional reprocessing of traumatic memories and changing patients’ bias via building trust in validity cognition to the point that the intervention effect was maintained after three months and one year follow-ups.