Eye movement desensitization of public-speaking anxiety: a partial dismantling

J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 1995 Dec;26(4):321-9. doi: 10.1016/0005-7916(95)00048-8.

Abstract

Forty college students suffering from public speaking anxiety and having experienced a specific traumatic speech-related event were exposed to either a standard EMD protocol with eye movements; a moving audio stimulus in place of the eye movements; a protocol with eyes resting on the hands in place of the eye movement, or a no-treatment control condition. The results revealed that EMD is comparable in limited effectiveness to the other procedures and that the eye movements are not a crucial component of the treatment with this population.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anxiety / therapy*
  • Eye Movements*
  • Female
  • Heart Rate
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Psychotherapy