Effects of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing on depressive symptoms, stress and rumination in adolescents with depression: a randomised controlled trial

<b>Background:</b> Adolescent depression patients who have experienced stressful life events usually have more severe symptoms. Existing treatment plans are not effective in reducing the high recurrence rate of adolescent depression. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an integrative therapy, can effectively alleviate depressive symptoms, but the evidence of its effectiveness in treating adolescent depression is still insufficient.<b>Objective:</b> The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of EMDR in combination with medication in treating depressed adolescents.<b>Methods:</b> A total of 30 adolescent patients with depression were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: EMDR co-treated with an SSRI medication or an SSRI medication used alone. The intervention group received standardised EMDR treatment. The primary outcome indicators were the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17) and the Impact of Events Scale (IES-R), while the secondary outcomes were the Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES).<b>Results:</b> In the end, 30 people completed the experiment, 15 from each of the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received EMDR treatment three times a week for 2 weeks, with a total of 6 sessions, each lasting 60 min. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between time and group on children's HAMD-17, IES-R, and RRS scores (all <i>p</i> < .05). Linear mixed models revealed that increasing the IES-R score was associated with an increase in depression levels (estimate value = 0.104, <i>p</i> = .019), while increasing the SES score was associated with a decrease in the depression levels (estimate value = -0.298, <i>p</i> = .021).<b>Conclusions:</b> Incorporating EMDR add-on therapy to medication for adolescent depressed patients with stressful life events can effectively reduce the degree of impact of stressful life events on patients, as well as reduce depressive symptoms and rumination thinking.