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

NCT05319002 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: HTC-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 27
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

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.

Conditions

Child, Only; Narration; Memory Dysfunction; Distress, Emotional; Cognitive Change

Keywords

Child; EMDR; Narrative complexity; Autobiographical memories; Distress; Cognition

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (10)

• Event coding - Pre-intervention

  Event coding is measured using Manual for Coding Events in Self Defining Memories. "Relationship" nominal score means a better outcome

  Event coding is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention

• Memory specificity level - Pre-intervention

  Memory specificity level is measured using Classification System and Scoring for Self-defining Autobiographical Memories. "Specific" nominal score means a better outcome

  Memory specificity level is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention

• Narrative complexity level - Pre-intervention

  Narrative complexity level is measured using Coding System for autobiographical Memory Narratives in Psychotherapy. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

  Narrative complexity level is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention

• Subjective Unit of Distress - Pre-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

  Subjective Unit of Distress is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention

• Validity of Cognition - Pre-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 is measured before the 3-week group EMDR intervention

• Event coding - Post-intervention

  Event coding is measured using Manual for Coding Events in Self Defining Memories. "Relationship" nominal score means a better outcome

  Event coding is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention

• Memory specificity level - Post-intervention

  Memory specificity level is measured using Classification System and Scoring for Self-defining Autobiographical Memories. "Specific" nominal score means a better outcome

  Memory specificity level is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention

• Narrative complexity level - Post-intervention

  Narrative complexity level is measured using Coding System for autobiographical Memory Narratives in Psychotherapy. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

  Narrative complexity level is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention

• Subjective Unit of Distress - Post-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

  Subjective Unit of Distress is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention

• Validity of Cognition - Post-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 is measured after the 3-week group EMDR intervention

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• 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

• 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

Study Arms (2)

Group EMDR

EXPERIMENTAL

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

Behavioral: Group EMDR

Control

NO INTERVENTION

The control group will follow routine daily school activities

Interventions

Group EMDR BEHAVIORAL

The eight phases of the adapted group EMDR protocol was administered during each session: 1. Meeting: Explaining the nature of trauma, group rules, name tags, filling in the scales. 2. Preparation: Exploring children's support system, explaining EMDR, safe place, resource exercise, and installation with bilateral stimulation (BLS, butterfly hug or knee tapping). 3. Assessment: Drawing the worst image on a small separate sheet of paper, SUD level, (negative cognition, emotions, body sensations - if possible). 4. Desensitization: It is done with drawing on 4 separate papers with BLS (butterfly hug or knee tapping). 5. Installation: With the healing story written according to the adaptive information processing (AIP) model, the installation is accompanied BLS. 6. Body scan: A positive body state is installed with the relaxation technique. 7. Closure \& future template: Strong closure with artwork. 8. Re-evaluation: if possible.

Group EMDR

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 9 Years - 11 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• 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

You may not qualify if:

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

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Pisa: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Pisa

Pisa, 56126, Italy

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Poli A, Gemignani A, Miccoli M. 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 Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jun 23;19(13):7684. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19137684.

  PMID: 35805348 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Narration

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Communication; Behavior

Study Officials

• Andrea Poli, Psy.D.

  University of Pisa

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 22, 2022
• First Posted: April 8, 2022
• Study Start: August 20, 2021
• Primary Completion: October 31, 2021
• Study Completion: November 30, 2021
• Last Updated: April 8, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL

Locations

IT (1)