Abstract

The internet-based Eye Movement Desensitization (EMD) procedure based mainly on the third and fourth phases of the EMDR protocol was developed. After completing pre-intervention assessments, 305 female university students were randomly assigned to the Internet EMD condition or to a control condition. Treatment effects of the Internet EMD program were analyzed in two groups of the Internet EMD condition (high and low SUDS rating groups) and a control group. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA with the three groups, and time of assessment (pretest vs. posttest) as independent variables were conducted on the scores of the Japanese version of the HSCL along with the SUDS ratings. There were significant main effects for time of assessment and groups. There were also significant interactions between groups and time. The interaction effects indicated that the decrease in the SUDS ratings as well as anxiety and depression in the Internet EMD training for the high SUDS rating group is significantly larger than those in the low SUDS rating group and in the control group.

Key words: Eye movement desensitization, Internet, Japanese version of the HSCL, university students.