Intervention with EMDR on a sample of healthcare workers in the nephrology and dialysis service during the COVID-19 emergency: from immediate treatment effect to long-term maintenance
BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological support was provided to healthcare workers in Nephrology and Dialysis Operative Unit of the Azienda Ospedaliera Bassini using an EMDR group protocol to decrease posttraumatic stress symptoms in the medium and long term. The aim of this study was...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1120203/full |
| _version_ | 1797831018204364800 |
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| author | Caterina Belvedere Caterina Belvedere Paolo Fabbrini Elena Alberghini Simona Anna Ghedini Isabel Fernandez Isabel Fernandez Giada Maslovaric Marco Pagani Eugenio Gallina |
| author_facet | Caterina Belvedere Caterina Belvedere Paolo Fabbrini Elena Alberghini Simona Anna Ghedini Isabel Fernandez Isabel Fernandez Giada Maslovaric Marco Pagani Eugenio Gallina |
| author_sort | Caterina Belvedere |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological support was provided to healthcare workers in Nephrology and Dialysis Operative Unit of the Azienda Ospedaliera Bassini using an EMDR group protocol to decrease posttraumatic stress symptoms in the medium and long term. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of EMDR treatment to reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms at the end of the first pandemic wave and its progress over time in the subsequent phases of the health emergency.MethodsThe sample of study consisted of 43 healthcare workers from the Nephrology and Dialysis Service who spontaneously decided to take part in the Brief EMDR treatment. Statistical analyses were carried out to compare the data collected with the IES-R, the Emotion Thermometer and the Post-Traumatic Growth Scale. The comparisons covered pre-treatment, post-treatment and follow-up.ResultsThe results show a significant clinical improvement in reducing PTSD symptoms following the Brief EMDR group treatment. The comparison between PRE and POST treatment (DELTA1) regarding the scores from IES-R and Emotion Thermometer, highlighted the important statistically change that occurred in terms of symptomatology reduction (p < 0.001). By comparing POST and FU (DELTA2), it was observed that all variables except avoidance show a significant weakening of the effect with time (p < 0.001), but the magnitude of this effect is much smaller than the improvement found in DELTA1. DELTA 3 analysis finally made it possible to highlight how the treatment effect is maintained almost intact at follow-up. In fact, the maintenance of a better situation at follow-up was observed, in the course of re-traumatization linked to the new wave, compared to the initial data (p < 0.001).ConclusionThe COVID-19 health emergency has significantly impacted hospital healthcare workers, leading to a high risk of developing PTSD symptoms. A psychological intervention aimed at the operators themselves is therefore of great importance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T13:46:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-93db810dbe2d452f9407dd6a309e5912 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T13:46:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-93db810dbe2d452f9407dd6a309e59122023-05-09T04:40:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-05-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.11202031120203Intervention with EMDR on a sample of healthcare workers in the nephrology and dialysis service during the COVID-19 emergency: from immediate treatment effect to long-term maintenanceCaterina Belvedere0Caterina Belvedere1Paolo Fabbrini2Elena Alberghini3Simona Anna Ghedini4Isabel Fernandez5Isabel Fernandez6Giada Maslovaric7Marco Pagani8Eugenio Gallina9ASST Nord Milano, Milan, ItalyEMDR Italy Association, Varedo, ItalyOspedale Bassini, Milan, Lombardy, ItalyOspedale Bassini, Milan, Lombardy, ItalyASST Nord Milano, Milan, ItalyEMDR Italy Association, Varedo, ItalyEMDR Europe, Schaffhausen, SwitzerlandEMDR Italy Association, Varedo, ItalyInstitute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, ItalyCentro di Ricerca e Studi in Psicotraumatologia (CRSP), Milano, ItalyBackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological support was provided to healthcare workers in Nephrology and Dialysis Operative Unit of the Azienda Ospedaliera Bassini using an EMDR group protocol to decrease posttraumatic stress symptoms in the medium and long term. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of EMDR treatment to reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms at the end of the first pandemic wave and its progress over time in the subsequent phases of the health emergency.MethodsThe sample of study consisted of 43 healthcare workers from the Nephrology and Dialysis Service who spontaneously decided to take part in the Brief EMDR treatment. Statistical analyses were carried out to compare the data collected with the IES-R, the Emotion Thermometer and the Post-Traumatic Growth Scale. The comparisons covered pre-treatment, post-treatment and follow-up.ResultsThe results show a significant clinical improvement in reducing PTSD symptoms following the Brief EMDR group treatment. The comparison between PRE and POST treatment (DELTA1) regarding the scores from IES-R and Emotion Thermometer, highlighted the important statistically change that occurred in terms of symptomatology reduction (p < 0.001). By comparing POST and FU (DELTA2), it was observed that all variables except avoidance show a significant weakening of the effect with time (p < 0.001), but the magnitude of this effect is much smaller than the improvement found in DELTA1. DELTA 3 analysis finally made it possible to highlight how the treatment effect is maintained almost intact at follow-up. In fact, the maintenance of a better situation at follow-up was observed, in the course of re-traumatization linked to the new wave, compared to the initial data (p < 0.001).ConclusionThe COVID-19 health emergency has significantly impacted hospital healthcare workers, leading to a high risk of developing PTSD symptoms. A psychological intervention aimed at the operators themselves is therefore of great importance.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1120203/fullEMDRCOVID-19nephrologyhealthcare workersmental healthgroup treatment |
| spellingShingle | Caterina Belvedere Caterina Belvedere Paolo Fabbrini Elena Alberghini Simona Anna Ghedini Isabel Fernandez Isabel Fernandez Giada Maslovaric Marco Pagani Eugenio Gallina Intervention with EMDR on a sample of healthcare workers in the nephrology and dialysis service during the COVID-19 emergency: from immediate treatment effect to long-term maintenance Frontiers in Psychology EMDR COVID-19 nephrology healthcare workers mental health group treatment |
| title | Intervention with EMDR on a sample of healthcare workers in the nephrology and dialysis service during the COVID-19 emergency: from immediate treatment effect to long-term maintenance |
| title_full | Intervention with EMDR on a sample of healthcare workers in the nephrology and dialysis service during the COVID-19 emergency: from immediate treatment effect to long-term maintenance |
| title_fullStr | Intervention with EMDR on a sample of healthcare workers in the nephrology and dialysis service during the COVID-19 emergency: from immediate treatment effect to long-term maintenance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intervention with EMDR on a sample of healthcare workers in the nephrology and dialysis service during the COVID-19 emergency: from immediate treatment effect to long-term maintenance |
| title_short | Intervention with EMDR on a sample of healthcare workers in the nephrology and dialysis service during the COVID-19 emergency: from immediate treatment effect to long-term maintenance |
| title_sort | intervention with emdr on a sample of healthcare workers in the nephrology and dialysis service during the covid 19 emergency from immediate treatment effect to long term maintenance |
| topic | EMDR COVID-19 nephrology healthcare workers mental health group treatment |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1120203/full |
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