The Therapeutic Alliance in EMDR.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Analysing the Therapeutic Alliance in Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy.
IRAS ID
195063
Contact name
Deborah Skinner
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 31 days
Research summary
The aim of the study is to explore the therapeutic alliance (TA) during Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR).
Participants include EMDR therapists (NHS staff) and clients receiving EMDR within Nottinghamshire Let's Talk Wellbeing IAPT Service. A minimum of four and maximum of eight participants will be recruited in client-therapist dyads. Once therapist-client dyads have given consent to participate in the study, their EMDR sessions will be video recorded. All participants will also be required to complete a self-report weekly process measure (questionnaire) following each session, for 6-10 weeks. The measure consists of 5 questions answered on a Likert scale, taking approximately 5 minutes to complete. This measure is called the Agnew Relationship Measure-5 (ARM-5), which is used to assess the strength of the therapeutic alliance between clients and their therapists. Client-participants will be required to complete an addition self-report weekly process measure; a modified version of the Helpful Aspects of Therapy form (HAT), taking approximately 10-15 minutes to complete each.
Following the completion of the entire EMDR therapy, participants who remain agreeable and deemed appropriate to continue engaging in the study will be invited to an interview with the Principle Investigator (PI), Deborah Skinner. The interview involves participants being asked questions whilst watching sections of the video recordings of their EMDR sessions. These interviews will be audio-recorded by the PI. The sections of tape to be reviewed during this procedure will be based on participants’ responses on the ARM-5 and HAT. Attention will also be given to aspects of the TA during sessions where the EMDR procedure involves bilateral stimulation (usually eye movements or tapping).
The data collected during the video cued recall interviews (audio recordings) will be transcribed and analysed qualitatively, although the exact method remains flexible depending on the data gathered.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/EM/0130
Date of REC Opinion
4 May 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion