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Is Acupoint Stimulation an Active Ingredient in Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)?A Controlled Trial of Teacher Burnout
... EFT has been used in a variety of settings where individual psychotherapy would be impractical, including the aftermath of earthquakes and other natural catastrophes, in the aftermath of terrorist attacks, and in refugee camps [24]. EFT uses meridian tapping to desensitize anxiety by focusing on the feared target or unpleasant emotion. ...
... Moreover, acupoint stimulation in EFT procedures breaks the sympathetic hyperarousal nervous system cycle more quickly than other methods of stimulation, resulting in a faster resolution of symptoms. As a result, EFT may also benefit physical health [24]. These points correlate to the acupressure sites that are believed to be responsible for regulating the flow of the body's energies in Traditional Chinese Medicine. ...
Public Speaking Anxiety is the most frequently feared condition among university student in academic activities. Emotional freedom technique has gained increased popularity and appears as a promising way to reduce emotional distress in different setting and populations. However, limited review has examining EFT treatment on public speaking anxiety. This integrative review was to examine the effectiveness of EFT programs on public speaking anxiety in university students. The review was carried out using the framework for integrated reviews obtained from Google Scholar, PsycINFO, and PubMed. Articles were included when reporting primary studies on the efficacy of EFT programs on public-speaking anxiety for university students in Bahasa Indonesia and English. The total of 5 were evaluated critically and included in the review. Two of the studies were undertaken in the United Kingdom, and one each in Australia, Turkey, and Indonesia. Two of the studies were randomized controlled, two used mixed methods, and one queasy experiment design. A majority of the interventions were able to reduce public speaking anxiety. This review shows that implementation of EFT, even within limited resources, is both achievable and worthwhile. EFT programs should be introduced early in the curriculum for university student in their first year of a Bachelor program
... The literature search identified 249 articles on the general topic of EFTs. Six of them (Church and Nelms, 2016;Fox, 2013;Reynolds, 2015;Rogers and Sears, 2015;Waite and Holder, 2003;Wells et al., 2003) provided information directly applicable to the question of whether acupressure is an active ingredient. All six were comparative studies in which an EFT protocol that included acupoint tapping was compared with a similar protocol in which acupoint tapping was replaced with a substitute activity. ...
... Other weaknesses included the possibility that the sham tapping inadvertently stimulated a traditional acupoint and that one of the investigators conducted the treatments for both groups. Reynolds (2015) assessed 126 full-time public school teachers (K-12) for burnout risk using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) (Maslach et al., 1996). EFT was compared with a control group that tapped on sham points on the body in an otherwise identical protocol. ...
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFTs) combine elements of cognitive restructuring and exposure techniques with acupoint stimulation. Meta-analyses indicate large effect sizes for posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety; however, treatment effects may be due to components EFT shares with other therapies. This analysis reviewed whether EFTs acupressure component was an active ingredient. Six studies of adults with diagnosed or self-identified psychological or physical symptoms were compared (n = 403), and three (n = 102) were identified. Pretest vs. posttest EFT treatment showed a large effect size, Cohen's d = 1.28 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56 to 2.00) and Hedges' g = 1.25 (95% CI, 0.54 to 1.96). Acupressure groups demonstrated moderately stronger outcomes than controls, with weighted posttreatment effect sizes of d = -0.47 (95% CI, -0.94 to 0.0) and g = -0.45 (95% CI, -0.91 to 0.0). Meta-analysis indicated that the acupressure component was an active ingredient and outcomes were not due solely to placebo, nonspecific effects of any therapy, or nonacupressure components.
... In response, some researchers have completed "dismantling" studies that aim to discover what benefit, if any, results from accessing the acupoints during the EFT protocol (Church & Feinstein, 2017). For example, Reynolds (2015) found that EFT with acupoints was more effective than EFT with sham tapping points for emotional burnout among teachers, while Rogers & Sears (2015) found that genuine EFT was four times more effective at reducing stress among college students than a sham protocol. Similarly, Fox (2013) found that students who did EFT with the tapping points reported increases in positive emotions when compared to those who did the EFT protocol without using acupressure points or self-acceptance statements. ...
Reducing communication apprehension (CA) in university public speaking classes has been traditionally achieved by strategies such as skills training, rehearsal, preparation, and repeated performance. Yet, some highly anxious speakers require more intensive interventions. Recently, Energy Psychology (EP) protocols such as Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and Primordial Energy Activation and Transcendence (PEAT) have significantly reduced CA after brief interventions. Other studies have investigated the therapeutic effects of the various components of selected EP protocols through dismantling studies. This study contributes to existing EP dismantling and CA studies by exploring the efficacy of two modified PEAT protocols. Participants (N = 51) were randomly placed into one of three groups: a modified PEAT acupressure group, a modified PEAT non-acupressure group, and a no-treatment control group. Mixed method analyses did not find a significant difference in CA scores (p < .05) or reported subjective experiences between groups at posttest, and highly anxious speakers benefitted more from the public speaking course than less anxious ones. The authors suggest that dismantling the original PEAT technique may have limited its efficacy and further study on PEAT for CA is required.
... the large-scale Finnish study outlined previously.Reynolds (2015)compared a group of teachers self-applying EFT with a control group using sham acupres- sure points. Both groups were given a list of common occupational stressors to focus on for their self-treatment programs, such as receiving poor evaluations, needing to complete meaningless paperwork, tense interpersonal relationships, office politic ...
... A 2015 study involved 126 school teachers (assessed for burnout risk) and is possibly the best dismantling study to date. 53 A control group tapped on the left forearm, about an inch above the wrist, with the underside of the fingers of the open right hand. This was important because no finger points were used or unintentionally activated (as in the first study discussed). ...
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is an evidence-based self-help therapeutic method and over 100 studies demonstrate its efficacy. However, information about the physiological effects of EFT is limited. The current study sought to elucidate EFTs mechanisms of action across the central nervous system (CNS) by measuring heart rate variability (HRV) and heart coherence (HC); the circulatory system using resting heart rate (RHR) and blood pressure (BP); the endocrine system using cortisol, and the immune system using salivary immunoglobulin A (SigA). The second aim was to measure psychological symptoms. Participants (N = 203) were enrolled in a 4-day training workshop held in different locations. At one workshop (n = 31), participants also received comprehensive physiological testing. Posttest, significant declines were found in anxiety (−40%), depression (−35%), posttraumatic stress disorder (−32%), pain (−57%), and cravings (−74%), all P < .000. Happiness increased (+31%, P = .000) as did SigA (+113%, P = .017). Significant improvements were found in RHR (−8%, P = .001), cortisol (−37%, P < .000), systolic BP (−6%, P = .001), and diastolic BP (−8%, P < .000). Positive trends were observed for HRV and HC and gains were maintained on follow-up, indicating EFT results in positive health effects as well as increased mental well-being.
... 12 Dismantling studies show that the somatic element of EFT, which includes fingertip percussion of 12 acupressure points, confers a treatment effect beyond that which can be explained by EFTs cognitive and exposure elements. [13][14][15] Studies of the physiological mechanisms of action of EFT find that it reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol 16 ; regulates inflammation and immunity genes 17 ; alters the expression of a variety of genes implicated in cell repair, the immune response, tumor suppression, neural plasticity, and neurological signaling, 18 and regulates the autonomic nervous system as measured by EEG. 19,20 EFTs affect-regulation capability has also been assessed as a treatment for food cravings and the power of food in the external environment. ...
Background/objective:
Traditional methods of delivering therapeutic interventions have increasingly been supplemented by online courses. The current study investigated the effects of Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) in 76 participants enrolled in a six-week online course called Naturally Thin You. Weight, restraint, the power of food in the external environment, happiness, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were assessed before and after the course and at one-year follow-up.
Method:
Participants received six live group teleclasses, access to online course materials and a private social media group, and a year of monthly support teleclasses. No particular diet was recommended; the course focused instead on controlling emotional eating, and using EFT to treat the emotional triggers associated with food. Clinical EFTs Borrowing Benefits protocol, in which the group facilitator works with a single participant while others simultaneously self-apply EFT, was used during the teleclasses.
Results:
Repeated measures ANOVA compared scores pre- to 12-month follow-up, and significant improvements were found for body weight (P < .001), depression symptoms (P = 0.010), restraint (P = 0.025), and the subjective power of food in the external environment (P = 0.018). Weight decreased an average of 1lb/week during the course, and 2lb/month between pretest and one-year follow-up. On follow-up, no change was observed in PTSD symptoms measured by a brief civilian trauma checklist, or anxiety, and increases in happiness were non-significant. The results indicate Clinical EFTs utility to address the influence of food in the external environment and assist weight loss, and to promote beneficial long-term change when delivered in an online format.
... This tapping is executed whilst the individual vocalises aspects of the target problem (e.g., craving or feared situation). The somatic element of EFT (tapping on pressure points) has been investigated in dismantling studies and a treatment effect beyond that which can be explained by EFTs cognitive and exposure elements is pro- posed [7] [38]; [39]. ...
Objective
Examining the effectiveness of psychological interventions in treating secondary psychological outcomes of obesity has become prioritized in recent times. The objective of the present study was to compare an eight-week Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) intervention program, in the treatment of food cravings and secondary psychological outcomes among overweight or obese adults (N = 83).
Method
A controlled non-inferiority trial was performed comparing group-delivered CBT to group-delivered EFT. Participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire at pre- and post-intervention, and at six and 12-months follow-up.
Results
The CBT group did not report any significant changes in anxiety scores over time, but the decrease in depression symptoms pre-to post-intervention was significant and this was maintained at 6-and 12-months. Anxiety and depression scores significantly decreased from pre-to post-intervention for the EFT group, and was maintained at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Somatoform scores significantly decreased from pre-intervention to all follow-up points for the CBT group, while the EFT group did not report any significant changes in somatoform symptoms. Results also revealed that EFT is capable of producing reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms, and may be comparable to gold standard approaches such as CBT.
Conclusion
The current study supports the hypothesis that psychological intervention is beneficial for treating psychological comorbidities of obesity and points to the role mental health issues may play in this area.
... The recall of traumatic memory is accompanied by a statement of self-acceptance, along with precise words mirroring those used by the client in describing his or her emotions, beliefs, and experience. Components of EFT are found in other psychotherapeutic approaches (Benor, 2014), but a review and meta-analysis (Church, Stapleton, Feinstein, Gallo, & Yang, 2016) considering six dismantling studies (Wells, Polglase, Andrews, Carrington, & Baker, 2003;Waite and Holder, 2003;Fox, 2013;Rogers & Sears, 2015;Reynolds, 2015; indicates that tapping on the bodily points is a significant therapeutic ingredient. ...
... It is highly likely that the exposure and cognitive portions of EFT contribute to its effects, however, acupoint tapping is also an essential ingredient; three dismantling studies in which a control group received an active non-tapping intervention all showed that tapping produced greater effects. [63][64][65] Results from other studies that may partially mitigate these limitations are as follows: A study compared EFT provided to two cohorts of university students with widely differing demographic profiles and found no significant difference between the groups. 66 It found that both older females and younger males benefited equally from EFT. Populations in which EFT has been studied include university students, Haitian earthquake victims, elite athletes, auto accident victims, Rwandan orphans, healthcare workers, alternative medicine practitioners, fibromyalgia sufferers, high school students, hospital patients, weight loss program participants, abused institutionalized teenagers, geriatric patients, and psoriasis sufferers. ...
Prior research indicates elevated but subclinical posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms as a risk factor for a later diagnosis of PTSD. This study examined the progression of symptoms in 21 subclinical veterans. Participants were randomized into a treatment as usual (TAU) wait-list group and an experimental group, which received TAU plus six sessions of clinical emotional freedom techniques (EFT). Symptoms were assessed using the PCL-M (Posttraumatic Checklist-Military) on which a score of 35 or higher indicates increased risk for PTSD. The mean pretreatment score of participants was 39 ± 8.7, with no significant difference between groups. No change was found in the TAU group during the wait period. Afterward, the TAU group received an identical clinical EFT protocol. Posttreatment groups were combined for analysis. Scores declined to a mean of 25 (-64%, P < .0001). Participants maintained their gains, with mean three-month and six-month follow-up PCL-M scores of 27 (P < .0001). Similar reductions were noted in the depth and breadth of psychological conditions such as anxiety. A Cohen's d = 1.99 indicates a large treatment effect. Reductions in traumatic brain injury symptoms (P = .045) and insomnia (P = .004) were also noted. Symptom improvements were similar to those assessed in studies of PTSD-positive veterans. EFT may thus be protective against an increase in symptoms and a later PTSD diagnosis. As a simple and quickly learned self-help method, EFT may be a clinically useful element of a resiliency program for veterans and active-duty warriors.
SCIENTIFIC Clinical EFT (emotional freedom techniques) combines acupoint stimulation with elements of cognitive and exposure therapy. Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of EFT for depression, anxiety, phobias, PTSD, and other psychological conditions. The current study assesses whether acupoint stimulation is an active ingredient or whether treatment effects are due to nonspecific factors. Thirty-seven participants with “frozen shoulder” consisting of limited range of motion (ROM) and pain were randomized into a wait list, or 1 of 2 treatment groups. ROM, pain, and the breadth and depth of psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression were assessed before and after a 30-min treatment session, and 30 days later. One treatment group received clinical EFT, while the other received an identical cognitive/exposure protocol but with diaphragmatic breathing (DB) substituted for acupoint stimulation. No significant improvement in any psychological symptom was found in the wait list. Participants in both the EFT and DB groups demonstrated significant posttest improvement in psychological symptoms and pain. Follow-up showed that both groups maintained their gains for pain, with EFT superior to DB, but only the EFT group maintained gains for psychological symptoms (p
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