The Effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy on Primary Insomnia

The present study examined the effectiveness of EMDR approach by Francine Shapiro on primary insomnia. Causal comparative design was used for testing research hypotheses. Population consisted of 60 patients with primary insomnia, ranging in age from 25 to 50 years, in degree from diploma to master’s, and consisting of both sexes (30 females and 30 males), who were selected using purposive sampling. In order to classify and analyze test data, T-test and covariance were used. Data analysis showed that the pretest and posttest EMDR treatment group showed significant differences in the effectiveness of this approach. Moreover, significant difference was found between pretest and posttest in the cognitive-behavioral group, indicating the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating primary insomnia. However, there was no significant difference between CBT and EMDR groups. In conclusion, the effectiveness of EMDR therapy and CBT may be considered equal.