Impact of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression Symptoms Among Urban Refugees in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Refugees fleeing their countries after conflict often experience traumatic experiences that may leave them suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There has been an established need for clinical research to add to the knowledge base of effective trauma-focused treatments for refugee populations. Studies have shown the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in reducing PTSD symptoms in refugee populations globally. This study sought to assess the impact of EMDR in reducing symptoms of PTSD and depression in urban refugees in Nairobi, Kenya. The objectives of the study were to assess the prevalence of PTSD and depression, to determine risk factors associated with PTSD and depression symptoms, and to establish the impact of EMDR treatment on PTSD and depression symptoms among the selected population. To explain how PTSD develops and how trauma memories are adaptively processed, the study used three theories: emotional processing theory, the information processing theory, and the adaptive information processing theory. The study followed a positivist paradigm and used a time series quasi-experimental design. A control group for this research received counselling at the end of the study. Respondents for this study were drawn from refugees seeking services at the Nairobi center of the Jesuit Refugee Service, an international non-governmental organization that offers psychosocial support for refugees. Sixty-nine participants who met the clinical thresholds for PTSD and depression, as determined by the PCL-5 and the Beck Depression Inventory-II, were assigned to either the control group or the experimental group. Following 8 90-minute EMDR sessions with the experimental group, PCL-5 and BDI-II scores were recorded at midline and endline for both the experimental and control group, and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to analyse scores on the PCL-5 and BDI-II at the various treatment intervals. Participants in the experimental group showed a substantial reduction in PCL-5 scores over time. At endline, PTSD scores showed a highly significant difference F(1, 63) = 46.21, p < .001, η² = .423 in the experimental group (M = 20.11, SD = 17.87) while scores in the control group had mean scores of 51.00, (SD = 18.18). Depression scores remained significantly lower in the experimental group, (F(1, 62) = 19.22, p < .001, η² = .237, M = 12.19, SD = 13.93), while the control group had depression scores of 28.63 (SD = 15.25). Effect sizes ranged from moderate to large, with the strongest effects observed for PTSD symptoms at endline (η² = .423). These findings support the efficacy of the treatment and underscore the importance of targeted psychosocial interventions. This study recommends an integrated approach that includes targeted treatment for PTSD and depression and also addresses the psychosocial needs of refugees.