Improving Subjective Well-Being Through EMDR Therapy among PTSD Patients in Jordan: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Abstract

Background: Numerous man-made and naturally occurring incidents cause human suffering, both psychologically and mentally. Such circumstances endanger people's emotional, physical, and social well-being if left untreated or if appropriate intervention is delayed. This trial examines the effectiveness of an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) intervention on improving the subjective well-being of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Jordan.

Methods: The current trial employed the quasi-experimental, interrupted time series design. This includes measuring the subjective well-being (SWB) three times: once before intervention (pre-test) and twice after the intervention (post-tests), including immediately and one-month follow-ups for both the intervention and control group. 70 patients (35 patients for each group) were recruited from a specialized psychiatric trauma healing center in Jordan. The primary outcome variable was measured using the World Health Organization- Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5).

Results: The statistical analysis of repeated measures using ANCOVA revealed significant differences across all time points within subjects [F ( _{1, 56)} = 5.18, p = .027]. The covariate effect was not controlled and showed statistically significant differences in the SWB across all time points in both interventional and control groups (between subjects) (F _1,56 = 12.41,p = .001). There were no statistical differences in the total mean score of SWB correlated with sociodemographics and health-related factors.

Conclusion: The results suggest that EMDR may be an effective, pragmatic, and acceptable intervention for increasing SWB in patients with PTSD in Jordan. Findings support the continued investment in and adoption of EMDR among participants affected by trauma in the Arab World.