EMDR Fidelity Scale

Because research involves testing a specific protocol, therapists do not have the freedom to move outside the box. Therapists are required to maintain fidelity to the protocol, even if they feel that the client might benefit from adding an additional approach. This can be difficult for those of us who are creative in our treatment application; however, the standardized protocol has generally been found to be effective. If the protocol is modified during the research, it is not possible to determine how effective the treatment is. In an analysis of methodological factors, Louise Maxfield and Lee Hyer found that EMDR studies that had good treatment fidelity were the studies that tended to achieve larger effects. Fidelity is assessed by having tapes of your sessions viewed by an assessor who uses a fidelity checklist to measure your adherence to the protocol. Ideally, the assessor should not know the purpose or outcomes of your study.