Authors
Isabel Fernandez^1,3, Marco Pagani², Eugenio Gallina^3
1EMDR Italy Association, Via Umberto I,65, 20814 Varedo (MB), Italy
²Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 7, 00185 Roma, Italy
³Centro di Ricerca e Studi in Psicotraumatologia, Via Caretta, 1, 20131 Milano, Italy

Background and aims
COVID-19 pandemic represents one of the most catastrophic events of recent times. The population of healthcare workers (HCW) was the most affected. The present study aimed at investigating PTSD in a sample of Italian HCW during this outbreak and to evaluate the effectiveness of the EMDR Therapy with this population.

Methods
A total of 744 healthcare workers were included. 587 healthcare workers were treated with EMDR, while the other 157 were not treated. The post-traumatic symptomatology was evaluated through IES-R and to investigate the level of intensity of emotional activation was used THERMO at two time points (pre-post treatment).

Results
The results obtained between EMDR treatment and non-EMDR treatment (n = 68 vs. waitlist non-treatment group n = 157). All scores pre- and post-EMDR decreased significantly. The differences between pre- and post-treatment of the IES-R scores of subjects in which EMDR was performed as compared to the scores pre- and post-12 weeks of waiting list subjects in which it was not performed were significantly different.

Conclusions
The findings suggest that HCW were at high risk of developing PTSD when confronted with COVID-19 outbreak and suggest the importance of psychological support during this humanitarian emergency.

Abstract topic
Healthcare workers, EMDR, COVID-19, humanitarian emergency

3 Learning objectives
• To investigate the effectiveness and the acceptability of EMDR in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Highlighting the importance of early and structured intervention, especially in the field of emergencies.
• To have a snapshot of what the Covid Pandemic in Italy was for healthcare workers.

Authors
Zeynep Zat Çiftçi¹, Dursun Hakan Delibaş¹, Taciser Kaya¹, Duygu Geler Külcü¹, Aylin Sarı¹, Hüseyin Nazlıkul¹, İlkem Coşkun¹, Yunus Emre Aydın¹, Önder Kavakcı¹, Canan Savran¹, Emre Konuk^1
1Institute of Behavioral Studies, Istanbul, Turkey

Background and aims
As the most common types of headache, migraine and tension headache and fibromyalgia are chronic painful diseases. It is suggested that EMD treatment may be effective as a psychotherapeutic approach in addition to pharmacological treatment in the treatment of fibromyalgia.

Methods
A Randomized Controlled Trial examining the effect of EMDR treatment on fibromyalgia symptoms, depression, sleep quality and traumatic stress is presented. 79 fibromyalgia patients were randomized into “Treatment as usual” (TAU) and TAU+EMDR groups.
Participants were given FIQ, VAS, Fibromyalgia ACR; WPI and SSS, BDI, PUQI and TSC-40 in pre-test and post-test.

Results
There was no difference in sociodemographic variables between study and experimental groups. According to analysis of variance, group effect was found statistically significant on VAS (p=0.019), WPI (p=0.018), BDI (p=0.019), TSC-40 (p=0.21). According to Bonferonni correction, EMDR application was found to be effective on VAS, WPI, SSS, BDI, PUQI and TSC-40 (p<0.05).

Conclusions
EMDR therapy is an important alternative in the treatment of fibromyalgia. We believe these results provide strong evidence of EMDR therapy in the treatment of fibromyalgia, and that the application of EMDR therapy in the treatment of fibromyalgia patients will be beneficial.

Abstract topic
The effect of EMDR Therapy on depression, sleep quality and traumatic stress symptoms of fibromialgia patients.

3 Learning objectives
Gaining understanding about the relationship between Medically Unexplained Symptoms and EMDR
Having an idea about the treatment protocol with chronic headache and fibromyalgia
Exploring about the research steps of a research on Emdr in the settings of RCT, Multicentered