Early Referral for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy for Treatment of Trauma-Induced Anxiety and Emotional Distress

Trauma, anxiety, and emotional distress are significant health concerns affecting millions globally and resulting in significant healthcare burdens. Despite the considerable efforts in addressing problems, most high-risk cases often go unidentified or unaddressed promptly. Besides standard trauma diagnosis, treatment, and management protocols, some patients often require specialized support. Recently, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has emerged as a promising alternative for treating anxiety, trauma, and emotional distress conditions, yet many patients who are at high risk are often not identified early for referral. Additionally, many healthcare facilities, especially those in rural settings, fail to include appropriate screening tools. This Doctor of Nursing Practice project proposed the inclusion of a Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ) screening tool and evaluated its effectiveness in increasing early identification and referral of high-risk patients for EMDR therapy. To this end, BTQ was incorporated into routine trauma assessment used at Serenity Psychiatric Outpatient, LLC, a primary care clinic located in McComb, Mississippi, for new patients with no known trauma history. Additionally, a retrospective chart review of 139 cases reported in the past three months without BTQ was carried out to compare the results. Results showed that out of 20 participants who took BTQ, 15 were identified as risk cases and referred for EMDR therapy compared to 11 who were referred from the 139 cases that were diagnosed using routine assessment protocols. These results were statistically significant (t(21) = 6.58, p < 0.001), proving the effectiveness of BTQ screening tool. Furthermore, there was a significant (t (14) = 6.98, p < 0.001) association between high BTQ scores and the likelihood of EMDR referral. The study findings support a wider adoption of BTQ in clinical practice for diagnosing trauma-induced anxiety and related conditions.