Comparing the Efficacy of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy with Prolonged Exposure Therapy on the Trauma impact symptoms in Veterans Suffering from Chronic PTSD

Abstract Background and aim: Post-traumatic stress disorder is considered as set of symptoms developed afterward an individual witness, hear or involved. The current research was purposed to compare the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy with prolonged exposure therapy on the trauma impact symptoms in veterans suffering from chronic PTSD. Methods: in this clinical trail research randomly sampled 48 veterans diagnosed with PTSD who had psychiatric records in Salman City Hospital of Yasuj. The subjects devoted in three equal groups: two experimental and one control groups. As intervention procedures the two experimental groups were exposed to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (5 sessions) and prolonged exposure therapy (10 sessions) respectively. The control group received none. Subsequent to the treatment period the triple groups were post-tested by the prior pre test scales. The data were analyzed by implementing univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc test. Results: Both treatment procedures significantly reduced the trauma impact symptoms (p ≤0/001).The results also indicated that prolonged exposure therapy was more effective concerning the trauma impact symptoms improvement. Conclusion: Intervention treatment procedures such as eye movement desensitization, reprocessing therapy, and prolonged exposure therapy sustain sufficient efficacy in trauma impact symptoms improvement while prolonged exposure therapy exceeded significantly. Key words: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Eye Movement, Desensitization, Reprocessing, Prolonged Exposure Therap