Randomized Trial on the Effects of a Group EMDR Intervention on Narrative Complexity and Specificity of Autobiographical Memories: a Path Analytic and Supervised Machine Learning Approach
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- University of Pisa
- Enrollment
- 27
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Memory specificity level - Pre-intervention
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Background and study aims:
The Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Group Protocol with Children (EMDR-GP/C) was first developed by Korkmazlar following the Marmara earthquake in Turkey in 1999 and can be adapted for different populations. The aim of this study is to assess if a EMDR-GP program may help primary school students in improving narrative complexity and specificity of autobiographical memories, as well as their subjective unit of distress (SUD) and validity of cognition (VoC).
Who can participate? Students attending the fourth or fifth year of primary school
What does the study involve? Participants will be randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Participants in the experimental group will undergo a 3-week EMDR-GP with weekly 60-minute group sessions (3 sessions), while the control group will follow routine daily school activities.
Questionnaires will be used to assess narrative complexity, specificity of autobiographical memories, SUD and VoC before and after the intervention.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating? Benefits of participating in the study may include an improvement of narrative complexity, specificity of autobiographical memories, and their SUD and VoC.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Supportive Care
- Masking
- Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 9 Years to 11 Years (Child)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Children aged 9 to 11 years
- •Children have reasonable comprehension of spoken language and can follow simple instructions
- •Children and their parents are willing to attend all intervention sessions
- •Children and parents have an adequate understanding of Italian
Exclusion Criteria
- •Concurrent enrollment in other intervention trials
- •Child regularly practices EMDR intervention, or other therapeutical interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or meditation.
Arms & Interventions
Group EMDR
Participants in the experimental group will undergo a 3-week group EMDR intervention with weekly 60-minute group sessions.
Intervention: Group EMDR (Behavioral)
Control
The control group will follow routine daily school activities
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Memory specificity level - Pre-intervention
Time Frame: Memory specificity level is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention
Memory specificity level is measured using Classification System and Scoring for Self-defining Autobiographical Memories. "Specific" nominal score means a better outcome
Narrative complexity level - Pre-intervention
Time Frame: Narrative complexity level is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention
Narrative complexity level is measured using Coding System for autobiographical Memory Narratives in Psychotherapy. Higher scores mean a better outcome.
Event coding - Post-intervention
Time Frame: Event coding is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention
Event coding is measured using Manual for Coding Events in Self Defining Memories. "Relationship" nominal score means a better outcome
Memory specificity level - Post-intervention
Time Frame: Memory specificity level is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention
Memory specificity level is measured using Classification System and Scoring for Self-defining Autobiographical Memories. "Specific" nominal score means a better outcome
Narrative complexity level - Post-intervention
Time Frame: Narrative complexity level is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention
Narrative complexity level is measured using Coding System for autobiographical Memory Narratives in Psychotherapy. Higher scores mean a better outcome.
Event coding - Pre-intervention
Time Frame: Event coding is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention
Event coding is measured using Manual for Coding Events in Self Defining Memories. "Relationship" nominal score means a better outcome
Subjective Unit of Distress - Post-intervention
Time Frame: Subjective Unit of Distress is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention
Subjective Unit of Distress is measured using a self-reporting scale with a 0- to 10-point rating scale. Higher scores mean a worse outcome
Validity of Cognition - Post-intervention
Time Frame: Validity of Cognition is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention
Validity of Cognition is measured using a self-reporting scale with a 1- to 7-point rating scale. Higher scores mean a better outcome
Validity of Cognition - Pre-intervention
Time Frame: Validity of Cognition is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention
Validity of Cognition is measured using a self-reporting scale with a 1- to 7-point rating scale. Higher scores mean a better outcome
Subjective Unit of Distress - Pre-intervention
Time Frame: Subjective Unit of Distress is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention
Subjective Unit of Distress is measured using a self-reporting scale with a 0- to 10-point rating scale. Higher scores mean a worse outcome
Secondary Outcomes
- Autobiographical memory definition - Post-intervention(Autobiographical memory definition is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention)
- Memory integration level - Post-intervention(Memory integration level is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention)
- Autobiographical memory definition - Pre-intervention(Autobiographical memory definition is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention)
- Memory integration level - Pre-intervention(Memory integration level is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention)
Investigators
Andrea Poli
Principal Investigator
University of Pisa