RCT Comparing EMDR and CBT for Treatment of Resistant Depression

Multicenter RCT Comparing EMDR and CBT Efficacy for Treatmen of Resistant Depression

Depression is one of the most common invalidating mental disorders, ranked by World Health Organization as the single largest contributor to global disability. Current recommended treatments for depression include antidepressant medication and according to guidelines, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT). Despite encouraging preliminary results (e.g., Matthijssen et al., 2020), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is not yet recognized as an effective therapy for depression by APA and NICE. The project aims to conduct a large multisite study that addresses the shortcomings of previous efficacy research on EMDR for depression. The primary aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of EMDR therapy in reducing depressive symptoms in adults with major depression as compared to CBT. Secondary aims of the study are the effectiveness of EMDR, as compared to CBT and TAU, in improving anxiety, and other symptoms. It is hypothesized that EMDR is not inferior to CBT.

The study is a multicenter clinical randomized controlled trial, conducted in Italy, USA and UK that will assess the effectiveness of EMDR therapy compared to CBT and TAU. Patients will be recruited at four clinical centers: Turin and Rome in Italy, and Kansas City in USA. The study protocol was approved by the local research ethics committee in each of the countries where the intervention is implemented.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, single episode or recurrent, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5);
2. a score of at least 20 on Beck's Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II);
3. having received ADM treatment with a stable dose for at least six weeks and maintained stable during treatment;
4. legal capacity to consent to the treatment.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. diagnosis of current PTSD (assessed with MINI-Plus and the International Trauma Questionnaire - ITQ, Cloitre et al., 2018);
2. diagnosis of complex PTSD (assessed with the ITQ);
3. history of psychotic symptoms or schizophrenia;
4. bipolar disorder or dementia;
5. cluster A and B severe personality disorders;
6. dissociative symptoms (DES-B score >2);
7. any substance-related abuse or dependence disorder (except those involving nicotine) in the 6 months prior to the study;
8. a serious, unstable medical condition;
9. a severely unstable social and economic condition (e.g. no fixed abode; job loss without any other source of income);
10. being pregnant;
11. acute suicidality that needs hospitalization