Helping Child Flood Victims Using Group EMDR Intervention in Argentina
Abstract
A comprehensive group intervention with 124 children who experienced disaster-related trauma during a massive flood in Santa Fe, Argentina, in 2003 is illustrated, utilizing a one-session group eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) protocol. A posttreatment session was done 3 months after the treatment intervention to evaluate results. Results of this one-session treatment procedure, utilizing the EMDR-Integrative Group Treatment Protocol, showed statistically significant reduction of symptoms immediately after the intervention. These statistically significant differences were sustained at posttreatment evaluation 3 months later, as measured by psychometric scales, and by clinical and behavioral observation. Data analysis also revealed significant gender differences. Despite methodological limitations, this study supports the efficacy of EMDR group treatment in the amelioration and prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, providing an efficient, simple, and economic (in terms of time and resources) tool for disaster-related trauma.