exploring the effect of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) on emotion regulation, defense mechanisms, and quality of life of female students with social anxiety

The present study aimed at exploring the effect of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) on emotion regulation, defense mechanisms, and quality of life of female students with social anxiety. The research was quasi-experimental following a pretest-posttest control group design. The population of the study consisted of all upper secondary level female students of Karaj city in 2017. Thirty students were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling from among those whose scores were high on the Social Anxiety Questionnaire and were then assigned to an experimental and a control group. The instruments of the study included the Spence Social Anxiety Scale, the Cognitive-Emotion Questionnaire, the Defense Mechanism Rating Scale, and the WHO Quality of Life questionnaire. The data were analyzed using covariance analysis with SPSS v.22. The results indicated a significant difference between the groups in the mean scores of positive and negative cognitive-emotion strategies and the total score of quality of life as well as all of its dimensions (p < 0.05). The results also revealed a significant difference between the groups in the mean scores of mature, immature and neurotic defense mechanisms (p < 0.05).