Effects of a Group EMDR Intervention on Narrative Complexity and Specificity of Autobiographical Memories: the Hug the Child Study (HTC)

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Cognitive Change; Child, Only; Memory Dysfunction; Narration; Distress, Emotional
• Interventions: Behavioral: Group EMDR

• Registration Number: NCT05319002
• Lead Sponsor: University of Pisa

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.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2021-08-20
• Primary Completion: 2021-10-31
• Study Completion: 2021-11-30
• Status Verified: 2022-03
• Study First Submitted: 2022-03-22
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-03-31
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-03-31
• Study First Posted: 2022-04-08
• Last Update Posted: 2022-04-08

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 27

Inclusion Criteria

1. Children aged 9 to 11 years
2. Children have reasonable comprehension of spoken language and can follow simple instructions
3. Children and their parents are willing to attend all intervention sessions
4. Children and parents have an adequate understanding of Italian

Exclusion Criteria

1. Concurrent enrollment in other intervention trials
2. Child regularly practices EMDR intervention, or other therapeutical interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or meditation.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Group EMDR	Group EMDR	Participants in the experimental group will undergo a 3-week group EMDR intervention with weekly 60-minute group sessions.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Memory specificity level - Pre-intervention	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	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 Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Autobiographical memory definition - Post-intervention	Autobiographical memory definition is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention	Autobiographical memory definition is measured using Coding System for Autobiographical Memory Narratives in Psychotherapy. "Autobiographic" nominal score means a better outcome.
Memory integration level - Post-intervention	Memory integration level is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention	Memory integration level is measured using Classification System and Scoring for Self-defining Autobiographical Memories. "Integrated" nominal score means a better outcome
Autobiographical memory definition - Pre-intervention	Autobiographical memory definition is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention	Autobiographical memory definition is measured using Coding System for Autobiographical Memory Narratives in Psychotherapy. "Autobiographic" nominal score means a better outcome.
Memory integration level - Pre-intervention	Memory integration level is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention	Memory integration level is measured using Classification System and Scoring for Self-defining Autobiographical Memories. "Integrated" nominal score means a better outcome

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Pisa; 🇮🇹 Pisa, Italy