EMDR and Children and Adolescents: A Summary of the Evidence

At the request of New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services, Action Research developed a summary of the research on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a trauma-focused psychotherapy originally developed to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With a focus on children and youth, this brief summarizes current evidence on EMDR’s effectiveness and examines its presence and rating across major evidence-based program clearinghouses. The brief also includes a curated table of selected studies highlighting EMDR’s impact on children and adolescents. Findings from this review are intended to illustrate the rigor and scope of EMDR’s research base and support informed decisions about expanding access for youth in foster care.

To learn more, click here to read the full summary of evidence.