Can eye movement therapy help HIV patients heal trauma?

NCT ID NCT03848858

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Parc de Salut Mar Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, a proven treatment for trauma, can help people recently diagnosed with HIV. Forty participants were split into two groups: one received standard medical care plus weekly EMDR for up to 6 months, the other received standard care alone. The goal was to see if EMDR reduces psychological trauma, anxiety, and depression, and improves quality of life and HIV outcomes.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a way to help people recently diagnosed with HIV cope with trauma and possibly improve their HIV treatment outcomes.
What could go wrong: This is a small pilot study with only 40 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It also relies on self-reported trauma scales, which can be subjective.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

AIDS HIV infectious disease post-traumatic stress disorder Psychological Trauma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HIV/AIDS PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA PTSD

Contacts and locations

Locations

Parc de Salut Mar

Barcelona, 08019, Spain

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