Pergamon hrnal of AnxietyD&n&% Vol. 9, No.5, pp. 43M9.1995 Copyright0 1995Ekevier Science Lid Printedin the USA. All rights reserved 0887418595 $9.50 + .oo 0887-6185(95)ooo23-2 CLINICALREPORT Treating Spider Phobia with Eye-movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Two Case Reports PETER MURK, PH.D., ANDHARALDIMERCKELBACH,PH.D. Abstract - lko spider phobics were fust treated with Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and then received an exposure in vivo session. Results showed positive effectsof EMDR, but also suggest that it is especially self-report mea- sures that are sensitive to EMDR. Improvement on a behavioral measure was less pro- nounced and exposure was necessary to eliminate residual avoidance behavior. This observation confirms the position of those EMDR critics who point out that EMDR effects should be documented with objective and standardii evaluation instruments. INTRODUCTION Fear of spiders, blood, enclosed places, and so forth frequently occur in the general population (e.g., Agras, Sylvester, & Oliveau, 1969; Regier et al., 1988). In a minority of the cases, the fear becomes excessive and the person avoids the phobic stimulus to such a degree that it interferes with his daily routine and social activities. In these cases, the diagnosis of specific phobia is made (DSM-IV, American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Prolonged con- frontation with the feared stimulus, i.e., exposure in vivo, is considered as the treatment of choice for specific phobias. Ost (1989). for example, reported that a one-session exposure in vivo results in 90% of the specific phobia patients showing significant improvement. Similar results were found by Address conzspondence to Dr. Peter Muris, Department of Experimental Abnormal Psychology, University of Limburg, RO. Box 616,62Ml MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. 439