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Stress Disorders, Post Traumatic · Journal article
European Journal of Psychotraumatology · August 24, 2026
Encouraging direction, but not yet definitive.
This single-arm observational study reports large pre-post reductions in PTSD symptoms in 151 children and adolescents treated with EMDR in Ukraine during active war, measured by both child self-report and caregiver rating across DSM-5 and ICD-11 PTSD criteria. The results are promising for feasibility and safety of trauma-focused treatment in conflict zones, but the absence of a control group and acknowledged methodological limitations preclude conclusions about EMDR's efficacy relative to alternatives or usual care. The authors themselves call for replicated randomized controlled trials.
Single-arm prospective pre-post observational study. N = 151 children and adolescents (62.9% female; M age = 10.87 years, SD = 4.34, range 1–17) living in Ukraine during ongoing war, treated in routine care by trained Ukrainian EMDR therapists.. Intervention: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for children and adolescents (EMDR C A), delivered by Ukrainian therapists trained by international trainers.. n = 151. Ukraine.
Large pre-post effect size for DSM-5 PTSD: d self-report = 1.83; d caregiver report = 1.93 Large pre-post effect size for ICD-11 PTSD: d self-report = 1.62; d caregiver report = 1.57 Large pre-post effect size for ICD-11 CPTSD: d self-report = 1.63; d caregiver report = 1.74
No reporting of dropout rate, treatment adherence, adverse events, or treatment duration.
The findings suggest EMDR can be delivered and produce symptom reduction in war-affected youth, which is clinically relevant for resource-constrained conflict settings. However, without a comparator group, clinicians cannot determine whether EMDR is superior to other interventions or standard care, and the results should not guide practice change pending RCT evidence in this population.
A single-arm pre-post study with large effect sizes in a real-world wartime setting, but lacking a control group and explicitly acknowledged methodological limitations that prevent stronger inference.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
The findings suggest EMDR can be delivered and produce symptom reduction in war-affected youth, which is clinically relevant for resource-constrained conflict settings. However, without a comparator group, clinicians cannot determine whether EMDR is superior to other interventions or standard care, and the results should not guide practice change pending RCT evidence in this population.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Background: In Ukraine, an entire generation of children is directly or indirectly affected by chronic exposure to potentially traumatic events due to the ongoing war, and many children may develop trauma-related disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy was implemented for therapists treating children and adolescents in Ukraine. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of this evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents living amid ongoing war.Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of EMDR therapy for children and adolescents living under ongoing war conditions in Ukraine.Methods: EMDR for Children and Adolescents (C&A) is implemented in Ukraine by EMDR C&A trainers from three European countries (the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy), who trained Ukrainian therapists. Outcome data from N = 151 children and adolescents (62.9% female, M = 10.87 years; SD = 4.34, range 1-17) treated by n = 32 therapists have been analysed. Children and parents completed the CATS-2 to measure self - and caregiver-reported symptoms of PTSD before and after treatment. The data collection period occurred from June 2023 to January 2025.Results: At the end of treatment, the patients reported significant reductions in PTSD symptoms, with large pre-post effect sizes for DSM-5 PTSD (d self-report = 1.83; d caregiver report = 1.93), ICD-11 PTSD (d self-report = 1.62; d caregiver report = 1.57), ICD-11 CPTSD (d self-report = 1.63; d caregiver report = 1.74), and DSM-5 pre-school PTSD (d = 1.72).Conclusion: Despite the methodological limitations of this study, the results suggest that EMDR can be delivered effectively to children and adolescents in regions impacted by ongoing war. Future studies should replicate these findings and evaluate the effects of EMDR during war conditions using a randomised controlled design.
Taken from the source record, never inferred. Follow any of these and new work involving them reaches your briefing.