Applicability and effectiveness of group EMDR therapy for forced migrants.

Background

The global rise in forced migration has led to increased mental health challenges among displaced populations, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, and its group-based adaptation - the Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (GTEP) - has shown promise in addressing trauma in such contexts.

Objective

This retrospective pilot study evaluates the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a modified GTEP protocol tailored for migrant populations at a regional psychotrauma centre in Europe.

Methods

Participants (N = 71) were adult forced migrants (asylum seekers, refugees or undocumented migrants) diagnosed with PTSD. The intervention included psychoeducation, stabilization, and the usual eight EMDR phases, delivered in a group format. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted using validated self-report measures: PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), WHOQOL-BREF.

Results

Significant reductions in PTSD and depressive symptoms were observed, with large effect sizes across most measures. Notably, CPTSD diagnoses decreased from 60.9% to 15.2%. The dropout rate was low (15%), and session attendance was high (80%), indicating strong acceptability. These findings suggest that the adapted GTEP protocol is both effective and feasible for use with migrant populations, including those with complex PTSD.

Conclusions

Despite limitations such as the absence of a control group and missing data, this study provides evidence supporting the use of group EMDR interventions in real-world clinical settings for forcibly displaced individuals. Future research should include randomized controlled trials and long-term follow-up to further validate these findings.