Attachment, trauma and PTSD

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a recommended treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Despite its rapidly growing evidence base, relatively little is known about its treatment effects beyond improving PTSD symptoms.
This preliminary study aimed to explore the capacity for EMDR to facilitate a change in attachment security in a clinical sample of adults experiencing symptoms of PTSD and Complex PTSD (CPTSD). It also explored the role of the therapeutic alliance.
A within-subject, repeated-measures design was used. Participants received 10 EMDR sessions on average, as part of their routine care. Self-report measures of attachment, PTSD, CPTSD, and the therapeutic alliance were administered during therapy.
No significant changes in attachment were observed; however, there was a trend in the expected direction. A significant reduction in PTSD scores was found, in addition to some associations between change in attachment security and change in PTSD and CPTSD symptoms. No significant relationship between the strength of the therapeutic alliance and attachment change was found.
This study contributes to the emerging literature on change in attachment; however, the findings should be interpreted with caution due to limitations including the small sample size. Clinical implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.