A scoping review of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing as a treatment approach for people with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder

Abstract

Adverse experiences and complex trauma are extremely prevalent for people with a borderline personality disorder diagnosis. Yet it has been common practice to exclude this population from accessing trauma-focused treatments, causing unnecessary continuation of distress. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective treatment option for individuals diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, highly comorbid with borderline personality disorder. Despite this, EMDR is not currently recommended as a treatment option for borderline personality disorder. This scoping review aimed to analyse existing research exploring the use of EMDR as a treatment approach for people with a borderline personality disorder diagnosis. Articles were identified using structured search terms in several databases. A total of 772 studies were identified for screening and nine studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Results indicate that EMDR can lead to positive outcomes for people with a borderline personality disorder diagnosis with regards to reduction in psychological distress, symptom severity, improved quality of life, or no longer meeting the diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder. However, serious adverse events were reported in Snoek et al’s (2025) RCT. In addition, due to the limited research conducted, the study design, data collection and analysis varies across studies, hence this review has highlighted that further exploration of EMDR as a treatment approach for those diagnosed with borderline personality disorder is warranted. Such explorations of the efficacy of EMDR therapy as a treatment option for people with a borderline personality disorder diagnosis could enhance the current evidence base and lead to further focused research and subsequent updates of current treatment guidance, enhancing outcomes.