| Course | DNP 675 Management of Common Mental Health Disorders Across the Lifespan |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 3 |
| Paper type | Evidence-based paper |
| Length | About 641 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | Doctor of Nursing Practice |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for DNP 675 Module 3
Eye Movements and Evidence: Is EMDR an Appropriate Therapy for Adults With PTSD?
Student Name
Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University
DNP 675: Management of Common Mental Health Disorders Across the Lifespan
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Eye Movements and Evidence: Is EMDR an Appropriate Therapy for Adults With PTSD?
Description of the Problem and Its Significance
Posttraumatic stress disorder develops in some people after exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence. It brings intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and heightened arousal lasting more than a month (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). PTSD impairs work, relationships and physical health and is common among patients in community mental health. Many patients want a talk therapy that does not require repeated detailed retelling of their trauma, which makes EMDR, a therapy that uses bilateral stimulation while the patient briefly holds a traumatic memory in mind, a frequent question in practice.
What the AI Tool Said
I asked a chatbot whether EMDR works for PTSD. It answered that EMDR is "among the very best treatments for PTSD," that it "works faster than other therapies," that the eye movements "reprogram traumatic memories in the brain" and that it is "recommended by all major guidelines." The answer was confident and easy to read. The literature agreed with part of it and contradicted the rest.
What the Literature Shows
Effectiveness. A Cochrane review of 70 studies found that both individual trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR reduced clinician-rated PTSD symptoms substantially more than waitlist or usual care, with large effects, and that the two did not differ significantly from each other immediately after treatment (Bisson et al., 2013). A systematic review and meta-analysis of 64 trials graded the strength of evidence as high for exposure therapy, moderate for cognitive processing therapy and other cognitive therapies, and low to moderate for EMDR, with fewer than four patients needing treatment for one to lose the PTSD diagnosis for each of these therapies, including EMDR (Cusack et al., 2016). EMDR is therefore effective, but the evidence behind it is less certain than for exposure-based therapies.
Speed. The claim that EMDR works faster is not well supported. Head-to-head evidence was insufficient to determine the comparative effectiveness of the therapies (Cusack et al., 2016).
Mechanism. The claim that eye movements "reprogram" memories goes beyond the evidence. How EMDR works, and whether the eye movements add to the exposure and cognitive elements built into the protocol, remains debated.
Guidelines. Not every guideline gives EMDR the same strength of recommendation, so "recommended by all major guidelines" overstates a mixed picture; some include it among first-line trauma-focused therapies, while others recommend it with less confidence than exposure-based therapy or cognitive processing therapy.
Synthesis: Is EMDR Appropriate?
Yes, with qualifications. EMDR is an effective, trauma-focused talk therapy for adults with PTSD, with effects comparable to trauma-focused CBT in the Cochrane review. It may suit patients who find detailed verbal retelling intolerable. Its evidence base is less certain than that for exposure therapy, and claims about speed and mechanism should not be made to patients.
Implications for Practice
In a community mental health clinic, I would offer EMDR as one of several trauma-focused options, delivered by a trained clinician, with shared decision making about the patient's preferences. I would measure outcomes with a standard PTSD symptom scale at baseline and regularly during treatment, and I would not delay treatment for patients who prefer exposure therapy or cognitive processing therapy. As a prescriber, I would remember that trauma-focused psychotherapy is generally preferred over medication as first-line treatment for PTSD when available.
Limits of This Review
Many trials are small, and blinding is not possible in psychotherapy research. Most participants were adults with severe PTSD in research settings, which may differ from community patients with complex trauma and co-occurring substance use.
Conclusion
The chatbot was right that EMDR works and wrong about why and how well compared with alternatives. The literature supports EMDR as an appropriate choice among trauma-focused therapies for adults with PTSD, offered honestly and measured carefully.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
Bisson, J. I., Roberts, N. P., Andrew, M., Cooper, R., & Lewis, C. (2013). Psychological therapies for chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (12), Article CD003388. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003388.pub4
Cusack, K., Jonas, D. E., Forneris, C. A., Wines, C., Sonis, J., Middleton, J. C., Feltner, C., Brownley, K. A., Olmsted, K. R., Greenblatt, A., Weil, A., & Gaynes, B. N. (2016). Psychological treatments for adults with posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 43, 128-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2015.10.003
DNP 675 Module 3 instructions, in plain terms
The posted syllabus lists the Evidence-Based Paper on individual therapy at 100 points, 20% of the DNP 675 grade, with further directions in an appendix and in Canvas. Students choose a common mental health disorder and an individual talk therapy, not medication, used to treat it, with examples such as depression and CBT, substance use and motivational interviewing, or PTSD and EMDR. The paper begins with what ChatGPT or another AI tool says about the therapy, then tests those claims against the literature, synthesizes the evidence and argues whether the therapy is appropriate, following the structure used in the program's writing courses. Disclose any AI use as the syllabus directs. Choose a pairing with enough research to support a real synthesis.
Inside the DNP 675 Module 3 example
The paper opens with the disorder's definition and significance, citing the DSM, and explains why patients ask about EMDR. A short section reports the AI tool's claims in quotation marks. The literature section then tests each claim in turn: effectiveness against a Cochrane review and a meta-analysis with graded strength of evidence, speed against the lack of head-to-head data, mechanism against an unresolved debate and guidelines against their mixed recommendations. A synthesis answers the paper's question with qualifications, followed by implications for a community clinic, limits and a conclusion that returns to the AI summary. Three sources support the paper.
Reading the DNP 675 Module 3 grading rubric
The syllabus breaks the paper's grading into areas such as completeness of the review of research and the logic and interpretation of the evidence, alongside relevance to psychiatric practice and APA writing. The best papers test specific claims against high-quality sources rather than summarizing studies one by one. Reporting strength of evidence and comparative findings shows critical appraisal. A clear, qualified answer to whether the therapy is appropriate demonstrates synthesis. Practical implications, such as measurement and shared decision making, show relevance to practice. Handling the AI component thoughtfully, rather than as an afterthought, fits the assignment's intent. Faculty may also check whether the paper keeps to individual talk therapy, as the assignment requires, and whether the AI material is clearly separated from the cited evidence.
DNP 675 Module 3 help from the desk
A frequent weakness is treating the AI summary as a formality. Quote its claims and check each one. Another is choosing a therapy with little research, which makes synthesis impossible. Distinguish strength of evidence from size of effect. Do not cite the AI tool as a source of facts. To get help with your own pairing, send the desk the disorder and therapy you picked. Start the literature search early, using systematic reviews first. Keep the paper within the length your faculty sets. Save a copy of the AI tool's original answer, with the date, so you can quote it accurately and show your faculty exactly what you tested against the research.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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DNP 675 Module 3 questions, answered
Where can I find a free DNP 675 Module 3 sample paper?
A full DNP 675 Evidence-Based Paper sample on EMDR for adults with PTSD, testing a chatbot's claims against a Cochrane review and a meta-analysis, is on this page.
Is EMDR effective for PTSD?
Reviews find EMDR effective for adults with PTSD, with effects similar to trauma-focused CBT, though the strength of evidence is rated lower than for exposure therapy.
What does the DNP 675 evidence-based paper require?
Choosing a disorder and an individual talk therapy, starting with an AI tool's answer, checking it against the literature and arguing whether the therapy is appropriate.
How much is the DNP 675 evidence-based paper worth?
The posted syllabus lists it at 100 points, 20% of the course grade.
Can I cite ChatGPT in a DNP paper?
Report what the AI tool said as part of the assignment, but rely on peer-reviewed sources for facts and disclose AI use as your faculty directs.