RESEARCH LIBRARY · 20
Selected peer-reviewed studies grouped by topic — with a short summary, clinical relevance, limitations where relevant, and a link to the source.
Randomised controlled trials and meta-analyses that established EMDR as an evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, 3rd ed. Guilford Press.
SUMMARY · The canonical clinical reference for the EMDR eight-phase protocol and its underlying Adaptive Information Processing model.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE · Definitive source for protocol fidelity in clinical practice.
WHO (2013). Guidelines for the management of conditions specifically related to stress. Geneva: World Health Organization.
SUMMARY · WHO clinical guideline recommending trauma-focused CBT and EMDR for adults, children and adolescents with PTSD.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE · One of the first major international bodies to name EMDR as a first-line PTSD treatment.
NICE (2018). Post-traumatic stress disorder (NG116). London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
SUMMARY · UK national guideline recommending EMDR (alongside trauma-focused CBT) for adults with PTSD.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE · Provides commissioning-grade evidence used across the NHS and internationally.
Bisson, J. I., et al. (2013). Psychological therapies for chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
SUMMARY · Cochrane review concluding that individual trauma-focused CBT and EMDR are effective for chronic PTSD in adults.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE · High-quality meta-analytic evidence supporting EMDR as a first-line treatment.
Experimental studies developing and testing the working-memory account of how bilateral stimulation contributes to memory reprocessing.
Van den Hout, M., & Engelhard, I. M. (2012). How does EMDR work? Journal of Experimental Psychopathology, 3(5), 724–738.
SUMMARY · Review presenting the working-memory account and summarising a decade of experimental evidence.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE · Foundational conceptual paper for the mechanistic account most widely cited today.
Andrade, J., Kavanagh, D., & Baddeley, A. (1997). Eye-movements and visual imagery: A working memory approach to the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 36, 209–223.
SUMMARY · Early experimental study linking eye movements during imagery to reduced vividness and emotionality of aversive memories.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE · One of the first empirical foundations for the working-memory account.
Clinical case series and controlled studies examining EMDR delivered by video, including outcomes and practical considerations.
Lenferink, L. I. M., et al. (2020). Online EMDR for adults with PTSD: A systematic review. European Journal of Psychotraumatology.
SUMMARY · Systematic review of online-delivered EMDR reporting encouraging preliminary evidence and highlighting research gaps.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE · Directly relevant to therapists moving EMDR into telehealth.
LIMITATIONS · Small studies, heterogeneous designs — treat as directional.
McGowan, I. W., et al. (2021). The efficacy of online-delivered EMDR: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology.
SUMMARY · Meta-analytic synthesis of studies evaluating remote EMDR, with pooled effect sizes on PTSD symptom reduction.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE · Adds quantitative support to the case that online EMDR retains clinical benefit when protocol fidelity is preserved.
Theoretical papers developing the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model that underlies EMDR case conceptualisation.
Shapiro, F. (2001, 2018). Adaptive Information Processing model chapters. In EMDR Therapy (2nd/3rd eds.). Guilford Press.
SUMMARY · Presentation of the AIP model as the theoretical basis for EMDR: memories are stored networks, and reprocessing links dysfunctional networks to adaptive information.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE · Provides the conceptual framework therapists use for case formulation and target sequencing.
Solomon, R. M., & Shapiro, F. (2008). EMDR and the Adaptive Information Processing model. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 2(4), 315–325.
SUMMARY · Focused summary of the AIP model, its implications for treatment planning and its distinction from other psychotherapies.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE · Concise reference for clinicians teaching or supervising EMDR.
Theory & Research
How Bilateral Stimulation Works
How does bilateral stimulation work in EMDR? A clear overview of working-memory theory, orienting response and current evidence for the mechanism of BLS.
EMDR Fundamentals
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is an eight-phase psychotherapy for trauma developed by Francine Shapiro. Learn what EMDR is, how it works and what it treats.
Theory & Research
The Adaptive Information Processing Model
The AIP model is EMDR's theoretical foundation. It explains how memories are stored, why some become 'stuck', and how bilateral stimulation supports processing.
Theory & Research
EMDR 2.0
EMDR 2.0 is a working-memory-focused evolution of EMDR developed by Ad de Jongh and Suzy Matthijssen that intensifies dual-attention taxation.