ItemArticle

Treatment of Attachment Trauma: Effects of an Online EMDR Couple Protocol on Trauma Symptoms, Conflict Resolution, and Forgiveness

Title
Treatment of Attachment Trauma: Effects of an Online EMDR Couple Protocol on Trauma Symptoms, Conflict Resolution, and Forgiveness
Creator
Davidar, Rebecca Suganthi; Ballal, Divya; Rajan, Santhosh Kareepadath
Description
Background: Incidents characterised by betrayal, abandonment, or emotional neglect within a romantic relationship can profoundly impact relational functioning and lead to post-traumatic stress symptoms in both partners. Although in-person therapies, such as Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), have shown promise, the feasibility and effectiveness of delivering EMDR online to address attachment trauma remain underexplored. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an online EMDR couple protocol in reducing trauma-related symptoms, improving conflict resolution strategies, and increasing willingness to forgive among couples with a history of attachment trauma. Subgroup analysis was carried out based on gender, partner roles (offending and injured), and types of conflict (single incident and complex). A secondary aim was to determine if gains were sustained at a one-month follow-up. Methods: Participants were 34 individuals (17 couples) presenting with attachment trauma, with a subjective unit of disturbance score over 5. Couples received a two-phase online EMDR intervention comprising individual and conjoint sessions. Pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up measures of post-traumatic stress (Impact of Events Scale), conflict behaviours (Romantic Partner Conflict Scale), and offence-specific forgiveness (Marriage OffenceSpecific Forgiveness Scale) were collected. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to analyse changes over time, with follow-up t-tests examining gender and role differences. Results: Participants demonstrated significant reductions in intrusion, avoidance, hyperarousal, and overall trauma impact, with improvements largely maintained at 1-month follow-up. Conflict styles, notably compromise and submission, showed statistically significant positive shifts. Forgiveness scores improved through reductions in resentment avoidance. No significant gender, partner role, or type of conflict differences emerged, indicating uniform benefits across subgroups. Conclusion: Findings suggest that an online EMDR couple protocol can effectively alleviate trauma-related distress, enhance constructive conflict resolution, and facilitate forgiveness in couples with attachment trauma. EMDR is equally beneficial for both offending and injured partners, as well as complex and single-incident conflicts. Trial Registration: Trial registered by the Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI). Registration Number: CTRI/2023/07/055625, registered on July 25, 2023. https://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/showallp.php?mid=87803&EncHid=&userName=CTRI/2023/07/055625. 2025 British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Source
Counselling and Psychotherapy Research;Volume;25;Issue;3;Article No.;e70042;
Date
01-01-2025
Publisher
John Wiley and Sons Inc
Subject
attachment trauma; couple therapy; evidence-based psychotherapy; online EMDR; online interventions
Coverage
Davidar R.S., School of Psychological Sciences, Christ University, Bangalore, India; Ballal D., School of Psychological Sciences, Christ University, Bangalore, India; Rajan S.K., School of Psychological Sciences, Christ University, Bangalore, India
Rights
Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library
Relation
ISSN: 14733145;
Format
online
Language
English
Type
Article

Citation

Davidar, Rebecca Suganthi; Ballal, Divya; Rajan, Santhosh Kareepadath, “Treatment of Attachment Trauma: Effects of an Online EMDR Couple Protocol on Trauma Symptoms, Conflict Resolution, and Forgiveness,” CHRIST (Deemed To Be University) Institutional Repository, accessed June 18, 2026, https://archives.christuniversity.in/items/show/21757.

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