The Effect of Eye Movements on Craving in Alcohol-Dependent Inpatients: A Randomized Controlled Experiment

Ante C. Lemkes, Sascha Y. Struijs, Marianne Littel, Wilfried D.J. Ekkers, Julia F. van den Berg*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

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.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)56-67
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of EMDR Practice and Research
Volume18
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 EMDR.

Keywords

  • alcoholism
  • craving
  • eye movements
  • randomized controlled trial

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