THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING IN TREATING GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
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Date
2025-06-03
Authors
Sarsour, Araa Tariq Morad
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
An-Najah National University
Abstract
This study investigates effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
(EMDR) therapy on reducing Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) among high school students,
Using an experimental design with sample of 60 students, participants were equally divided into
an experimental group (30 students) receiving EMDR intervention and control group (30 students)
with no intervention, GAD-7 scores measured changes on anxiety levels pre-and post-intervention,
Findings reveal notable improvement on experimental group, with reduction on GAD-7 scores
indicating an average anxiety decrease of approximately 29%, while control group’s scores
showed no significant change, Statistical analysis also examined demographic factors such as
gender, monthly income, family education level, and marital status, revealing EMDR's adaptability
across these variables, with minimal variation on effectiveness, Study limitations include sample
size, short-term follow-up, and reliance on self-reported measures, which may impact
generalizability of results, This study highlights EMDR’s potential as an accessible, non-
pharmaceutical intervention for adolescent anxiety within school settings, Future research should
explore long-term effects of EMDR on larger, more diverse samples to validate findings and
examine additional environmental and psychological influences.