TY - JOUR
T1 - The Effect of Eye Movements on Craving in Alcohol-Dependent Inpatients
T2 - A Randomized Controlled Experiment
AU - Lemkes, Ante C.
AU - Struijs, Sascha Y.
AU - Littel, Marianne
AU - Ekkers, Wilfried D.J.
AU - van den Berg, Julia F.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 EMDR.
PY - 2024/6
Y1 - 2024/6
N2 - In this study, we explored whether making Eye Movements (EM) during the recall of intrusive images related to alcohol craving reduced the vividness and emotionality of these images and their ability to elicit craving. In a randomized controlled experiment in a treatment facility for substance use disorders in the Netherlands, 50 inpatients with alcohol use disorder were asked to recall mental images related to alcohol craving while simultaneously making EM (n = 29) or keeping a steady gaze (n = 21). Vividness and emotionality of the mental images and craving were measured. Making EM had no significant effect on the vividness and emotionality of images related to alcohol craving, nor on their ability to elicit craving. Our findings do not support the notion that EM reduce alcohol craving.
AB - In this study, we explored whether making Eye Movements (EM) during the recall of intrusive images related to alcohol craving reduced the vividness and emotionality of these images and their ability to elicit craving. In a randomized controlled experiment in a treatment facility for substance use disorders in the Netherlands, 50 inpatients with alcohol use disorder were asked to recall mental images related to alcohol craving while simultaneously making EM (n = 29) or keeping a steady gaze (n = 21). Vividness and emotionality of the mental images and craving were measured. Making EM had no significant effect on the vividness and emotionality of images related to alcohol craving, nor on their ability to elicit craving. Our findings do not support the notion that EM reduce alcohol craving.
KW - alcoholism
KW - craving
KW - eye movements
KW - randomized controlled trial
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85196704084&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85196704084&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1891/EMDR-2024-0002
DO - 10.1891/EMDR-2024-0002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85196704084
SN - 1933-3196
VL - 18
SP - 56
EP - 67
JO - Journal of EMDR Practice and Research
JF - Journal of EMDR Practice and Research
IS - 2
ER -