The Effect of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Method on Psychological Symptoms

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on psychological symptoms. The study group of this research consists of 240 participants who applied to a private health center in Beyoğlu District of Istanbul Province in the 2020–2021 academic year. A total of 240 participants, 60 in the EMDR Experiment group, 60 in the control group, 60 in the CBT Experiment group, and 60 in the control group were included in the study. In order to determine the sociodemographic information of the study group in the study, the personal information form developed by the researcher was used to measure the characteristics of the study group’s brief symptom inventory (SCL 90-R) study group. The study group consisted of 14 weekly sessions of 90 min each. All the results obtained from the homogeneity and normality tests performed for the brief symptom inventory and pre-test measurements of the individuals in the experimental and control groups were considered together, and it was decided that parametric tests could be used in the research and analyzes were made in the SPSS 25.00 program. As a result of the study, it was determined that there was a significant difference between the psychological symptom scores of the experimental group before and after EMDR and CBT (P < 0.001). Considering the effect size of EMDR method on psychological symptoms, Somatization Cohen’s d = 0.47, Obsessive Compulsive Cohen’s d = 0.54, Interpersonal Sensitivity Cohen’s d = 0.77, Depression Cohen’s d = 0.53, Anger, Hostility Cohen’s d = 0.57, Phobic Anxiety Cohen’s d = 0.78, Psychoticism Cohen’s d = 0.78 and Anxiety Cohen’s d = 0.95, when the effect power of the CBT method on psychological symptoms is taken into consideration, Somatization Cohen’s d = 0.36, Obsessive Compulsive Cohen’s d = 0.48, Interpersonal Sensitivity Cohen’s d = 0.43, Depression Cohen’s d = 0.42, Anger, Hostility Cohen’s d = 0.42, Phobic Anxiety Cohen’s d = 0.63, Psychoticism Cohen’s d = 0.49 and Anxiety Cohen’s d = 0.50, respectively. According to the results obtained in the study and the Cohen-d effect size, EMDR suggests that it has an advantage over CBT in reducing psychological symptoms. In this context, it is recommended to use EMDR in clinics to reduce psychological symptoms, and CBT to be used as a second therapy method or as a therapy method together. Despite these results, it was suggested that the study should be supported by different studies and repeated under all conditions.