TY - JOUR
T1 - Feasibility of EMDR in Older Adults with PTSD to Reduce Frailty and Improve Quality of Life
AU - Gielkens, Ellen M. J.
AU - Turksma, Kim
AU - Kranenburg, Leonieke W.
AU - Stas, Lara
AU - Sobczak, Sjacko
AU - van Alphen, Sebastiaan P. J.
AU - Rossi, Gina
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2022/9/4
Y1 - 2022/9/4
N2 - Objectives: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after exposure to multiple (childhood) trauma’s is
strongly associated with accelerated aging and high psychiatric and somatic comorbidity, influencing frailty and Quality of Life (QoL) in older adults. Eye Movement Desensitization therapy (EMDR)
addresses psychological and physiologic symptoms stemming from adverse life events and therefore could influence frailty and QoL in older adults.
Methods: We conducted a multi-center feasibility study (two psychiatric hospitals) in Dutch older
outpatients (N = 24; ≥60 years) with PTSD. Participants received weekly EMDR-treatment during the
course of the trial (3 months to a maximum of 9 months). Frailty (Groninger Frailty Indicator) and
QoL (EuroQol 5D-3L), were assessed pre- and posttreatment.
Results: A linear mixed-model approach showed significant reduction of frailty (F(1,23) = 9.019,
p = .006) and improvement of QoL (F(1,23) = 13.787, p = .001). For both frailty and QoL, there was no
significant influence of Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5) pre-treatment score, therapy
duration, and neither an interaction effect of therapy duration x CAPS-5 pre-treatment score.
Conclusions: EMDR with older adults with PTSD showed a significant reduction of frailty and
improvement of QoL. Randomized controlled studies are needed to more precisely study the
impact of trauma-focused treatment in older adults on frailty and QoL and the implications this
might have for lessening disease burden.
Clinical implications: Screening for PTSD in older frail adults is important to treat PTSD as
a possible way to reduce frailty and improve QoL.
AB - Objectives: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after exposure to multiple (childhood) trauma’s is
strongly associated with accelerated aging and high psychiatric and somatic comorbidity, influencing frailty and Quality of Life (QoL) in older adults. Eye Movement Desensitization therapy (EMDR)
addresses psychological and physiologic symptoms stemming from adverse life events and therefore could influence frailty and QoL in older adults.
Methods: We conducted a multi-center feasibility study (two psychiatric hospitals) in Dutch older
outpatients (N = 24; ≥60 years) with PTSD. Participants received weekly EMDR-treatment during the
course of the trial (3 months to a maximum of 9 months). Frailty (Groninger Frailty Indicator) and
QoL (EuroQol 5D-3L), were assessed pre- and posttreatment.
Results: A linear mixed-model approach showed significant reduction of frailty (F(1,23) = 9.019,
p = .006) and improvement of QoL (F(1,23) = 13.787, p = .001). For both frailty and QoL, there was no
significant influence of Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5) pre-treatment score, therapy
duration, and neither an interaction effect of therapy duration x CAPS-5 pre-treatment score.
Conclusions: EMDR with older adults with PTSD showed a significant reduction of frailty and
improvement of QoL. Randomized controlled studies are needed to more precisely study the
impact of trauma-focused treatment in older adults on frailty and QoL and the implications this
might have for lessening disease burden.
Clinical implications: Screening for PTSD in older frail adults is important to treat PTSD as
a possible way to reduce frailty and improve QoL.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85137720920&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/07317115.2022.2114397
DO - 10.1080/07317115.2022.2114397
M3 - Article
SN - 0731-7115
JO - Clinical Gerontologist
JF - Clinical Gerontologist
ER -