Examining the Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Flash Technique on Racial Trauma

Abstract

Racial trauma poses significant risks to mental health and reduces the effectiveness of traditional psychotherapy. This study evaluated the self-administered eye movement desensitization and reprocessing—flash technique (EMDR-FT) as a telehealth intervention for reducing distress associated with racial trauma memories. Thirty-nine participants with moderate distress levels completed three bilateral stimulation sessions, with disturbance measured using the subjective units of disturbance (SUDs) scale. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant reduction in distress across five time points, F(2, 90) = 17.37, p < 0.001, η² = 0.31. Post hoc analysis confirmed decreases from pre-test (M = 5.41, SD = 2.51) to post-test (M = 3.00, SD = 2.29). These findings suggest that EMDR-FT effectively reduces distress linked to racial trauma and highlight its potential as an accessible telehealth intervention. This study underscores the need for further exploration of self-administered approaches to trauma-focused therapy.