EMDR in children and adolescents: A review about its effectiveness in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder

EMDR is a treatment method that combines the techniques of many different psychotherapy approaches and provides a multifaceted intervention to the adverse impacts of traumatic experiences by matching mental information processing and physical stimulation. Although EMDR was initially developed to be administered to adults individually, it has become a wide-ranging treatment application with the use of children, adolescents, and group studies. This paper aimed to review the theoretical framework and past studies on the use of EMDR in the treatment of children with traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Traumatic experiences during childhood can lead to many psychological disorders and behavioral problems in adulthood and disrupt a child's normal development process. EMDR studies with children have shown that it is an effective method in reducing PTSD symptoms and supporting psychological well-being, even in short-term applications. Therefore, it has been thought that it may be beneficial to extend the use of EMDR for the treatment of trauma in children. From the perspective of individual and social mental health, the EMDR method is considered as a valid, effective, and efficient treatment method in terms of minimizing the negative experiences of children and being a protective intervention for their future lives.