EFT Research: What the Science Says
Curious about whether EFT (tapping) really works? Here you’ll find links to research studies and papers that look at how effective EFT is for different issues. From reducing anxiety, losing weight and stopping smoking to beating the yips, scoring more goals and improving your free throws.
Sporting and Athletic Performance
Improve the Yips
Rotheram, M., Maynard, I., Thomas, O., Bawden, M., & Francis, L. (2012). Preliminary evidence for the treatment of type I ‘yips’: The efficacy of the Emotional Freedom Techniques. The Sport Psychologist, 26, 551-570.
Abstract
This study explored whether a meridian-based intervention termed the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) could reduce Type I ‘yips’ symptoms.
EFT was applied to a single figure handicap golfer in an attempt to overcome the performance decrements the player had suffered. The participant underwent four 2-hr sessions of EFT. The EFT involved the stimulation of various acupuncture points on the body. The appropriate acupuncture points were tapped while the participant was tuned into the perceived psychological causes (significant life event) associated with his ‘yips’ experience.
Improvements in ‘yips’ symptoms occurred across all dependent measures.
Social validation data also illustrated that these improvements transferred to the competitive situation on the golf course.
It is possible that significant life events may be a causal factor in the ‘yips’ experience and that EFT may be an effective treatment for the 'yips' condition.
EFT may be an effective treatment for the ‘yips’ condition.
Reduce Stress and Improve Free throw Performance
Church, D. (2009). The Effect of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) on Athletic Performance: A Randomized Controlled Blind Trial. The Open Sports Sciences Journal, 2, 94-99.
Abstract
This study investigated whether the most widely practiced form of Energy Psychology, called Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), could affect athletic performance. It evaluated whether a single brief EFT treatment for performance stress could produce an improvement in two skills for high-performance men’s and women’s college basketball teams at Oregon State University.
The treatment group received a brief EFT session while the control group received a “tips and techniques reading” (TTR). Performance was measured on free throws and vertical jump height.
Basketball players who received the EFT intervention scored an average of 21% better individually in free throws after treatment than the control group, while the control group scored an average of 17% lower (p<0.028). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in their percent change in jump height.
When analysed separately, there was a trend for females in the EFT condition to have better performance on both free throws and jump height than females in the control group.
These findings suggest that EFT performed as an intervention during the course of an athletic event may reduce performance stress, and improve individual player function for free throws, and is thus worthy of further study.
Basketball Free Throw Performance
Baker, A. H. (2010). A re-examination of Church’s (2009) study into the effects of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) on basketball free-throw performance. Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, & Treatment, 2(1), 39-44.
Abstract
Church (2009) studied basketball free-throw performance of college varsity athletes, comparing (a) a brief treatment of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) with (b) an encouraging talk.
A re-examination of Church’s data supported his conclusion that the EFT treatment led to relatively better performance compared with the control group.
In addition, we found (a) the reported improvement within the EFT condition was not significant, whereas the control condition decrement was significant and robust; (b) the positive effect of EFT thus took the form of an avoidance of the strong performance decrement seen in the control group; and (c) men and women contributed about equally to these findings.
Increase athletic confidence
Church, D, & Downs, D. (2012). Sports confidence and critical incident intensity after a brief application of Emotional Freedom Techniques: A pilot study. The Sport Journal, 15, 2012.
Abstract
Purpose: To determine whether a single session of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) could reduce the emotional impact of traumatic memories related to sports performance and lead to increased confidence levels in athletes.
Background: A relationship has been noted in other studies between sports performance and psychological factors such as confidence and anxiety levels. Critical incidents, which are experienced as traumatic memories, are associated with increased levels of psychological distress across a variety of symptom domains. Brief EFT sessions have been demonstrated to improve sports performance and reduce anxiety.
Conclusions: EFT may increase sport confidence levels by reducing the emotional and physical distress associated with the recall of critical incidents.
Improve football performance
Applications in Sport: A brief application of EFT employed immediately prior to competition may increase confidence and mediate anxiety. Llewellyn-Edwards, T., & Llewellyn-Edwards, M. (2012, Spring).
Abstract
The effect of EFT (emotional freedom techniques) on soccer performance. Fidelity: Journal for the National Council of Psychotherapy, 47, 14–19. This study involved the use of a short session of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) with two English ladies soccer teams. It is a randomized controlled trial with a supporting uncontrolled trial.
It was designed to verify the results of an earlier similar American trial involving basketball players. The results show a significant improvement in goal scoring ability from a dead ball situation following a short EFT session. These results support those of the earlier trial.
Improved heart rate and blood pressure measures along with shooting performance (shot accuracy) of the athletes.
Dwivedi, S., Sekhon, A., & Chauhan, B. (2021). Effect of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) on heart rate, blood pressure and performance in national level shooters. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 19, pp. S230-S231. https://www.indiansportspsyche.com/post/research-abstract
Abstract
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), also known as "tapping," is a relatively recent form of energy psychology that combines applied kinesiology with certain psychological principles to alleviate psychological distress in individuals.
In this technique, the clients are required to softly touch their acupressure points (mostly on the head/hands) with their fingertips that is aligned to the voicing of specific statements (Craig, 2011).
Recent researches have connoted the influence of EFT on various neurological, physiological, and epigenetic factors (Church, 2013). However, there is a dearth of literature that seeks to establish the effects of EFT on the physiological components such as blood pressure, heart rate or galvanic skin response, especially in the context of athletes.
Hence, the present study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of an EFT based intervention on the heart rate and blood pressure (circulatory system) and performance of 10m air pistol shooters. The sample for the given study comprises of National level shooters, aged between 16-17 years (N=14, Mean and S.D of 16.42 ± 0.51) who were randomly assigned to experimental (N=7) and active control group (N=7) conditions.
The experimental group was then treated to a 3-week (2 sessions per week) EFT program while the active control was kept engaged through inspirational lecture by the coach for the same duration. For the purpose of assessment of the effect of EFT on circulatory system, measures of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were recorded, while for performance, the shot accuracy of the shooter was noted.
Post intervention analysis of results indicated significant improvements in HR (-4.62% ,p=0.01), systolic BP (-3.6% ,p=0.001), diastolic BP (-5.16% ,p=0.004) and performance (+1.21% ,p=0.01) of the experimental group implying the effectiveness of EFT as a suitable intervention program for improved readings in heart rate and blood pressure (circulatory system) measures along with shooting performance (shot accuracy) of the athletes.
Anxiety
Significant declines in anxiety, depression, PTSD, pain, and cravings. Happiness increased
Bach, D., Groesbeck, G., Stapleton, P., Sims, R., Blickheuser, K. & Church, D. (2019). Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Improves Multiple Physiological Markers of Health. Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine 24.
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.
Post test, significant declines were found in anxiety (−40%), depression (−35%), post traumatic 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.
A single online group EFT session reduced stress, anxiety, and burnout levels in nurses treating COVID-19.
Dincer, B. & Inangil, D. (2021). The effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on nurses' stress, anxiety, and burnout levels during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial, EXPLORE, 17(2), 109-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2020.11.012. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550830720303839)
Background and Objective: Infectious disease outbreaks pose psychological challenges to the general population, and especially to healthcare workers. Nurses who work with COVID-19 patients are particularly vulnerable to emotions such as fear and anxiety, due to fatigue, discomfort, and helplessness related to their high intensity work. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of a brief online form of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) in the prevention of stress, anxiety, and burnout in nurses involved in the treatment of COVID patients.
Methods: The study is a randomized controlled trial. It complies with the guidelines prescribed by the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) checklist. It was conducted in a COVID-19 department at a university hospital in Turkey. We recruited nurses who care for patients infected with COVID-19 and randomly allocated them into an intervention group (n = 35) and a no-treatment control group (n = 37). The intervention group received one guided online group EFT session.
Results: Reductions in stress (p < .001), anxiety (p < .001), and burnout (p < .001) reached high levels of statistical significance for the intervention group. The control group showed no statistically significant changes on these measures (p > .05).
Conclusions: A single online group EFT session reduced stress, anxiety, and burnout levels in nurses treating COVID-19.
Decline in anxiety level in cancer patients.
Hasal, D. M., Muriyati, & Alfira, N. (2021). Effect of Spiritual Emotional Freedom Technique (SEFT) on the decrease in anxiety levels in cancer patients. Comprehensive Health Care, 5(2), 73-80. https://doi.org/10.37362/jch.v5i2.596
According to WHO 2013 data, every year the number of cancer patients in the world increases, the incidence of cancer is increasing from 12.7 million cases in 2008 to 14.1 million cases of 2012.
The diagnosis of cancer is daunting for the patient and can affect the patient's This anxiety is common because of the financial problems, diseases of symptoms, concerns about healing, concerns that can not run function as humans maximally, and may affect the prognosis of disease that should be good, but becomes otherwise. The harassment of nonfarmochalate anxiety is by distraction and relaxation one of them is a Left. This study aims to determine the effect of theft of left therapy on the decline of anxiety in cancer patients.
Research methods using experimental pre-design by using the type of One Group Pre-test post-test design, with purposive sample technique and using the t-paired test of Wilcoxon test alternative.
The results of the research obtained that the level of anxiety of respondents before the soft therapy is the average anxiety is as much as 11 people (73.3%). While the rate of anxiety of respondents after the SEFT therapy is the average of lightweight anxiety as many as 14 people (93.3%). From the results of the Wilcoxon test is obtained there is the effect of giving the SEFT to the decrease in anxiety level in cancer patients with value ρ value = 0,002 (ρ <0.05).
The conclusion of this research is there is an enhanced influence between the spiritual therapy of the Emotional Freedom Technique (SEFT) to the decline in anxiety level in cancer patients at Griya Al-Afiat clinics.
EFT is an effective intervention therapy in managing stress, anxiety and depression
Jasubhai, S. (2021). Efficacy of Emotional Freedom Technique and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on stress, anxiety, depression, short-term memory, psychophysiological coherence and heart rate in Indian adults. Journal of Clinical Psychology and Mental Health Care, 2(4). DOI: http;//doi.org/03.2021/1.10025.
World Health Organization reported depression as the fourth leading cause of mental illness worldwide and one of the leading causes of disabilities among adults. Living with depression may cause sleep deprivation, anxiety, stress and short-term memory loss. This is because the individual’s mind may be occupied with negative thoughts. Depression affects a person’s feelings, thinking, daily functioning, processing speed, memory, and executive functions. National Mental Health Survey of India in 2015-2016 reports that one in 20 Indians suffers from Depression. Earlier research indicated that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) represents a superior approach in treating mild to severe depression symptoms, and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) received increased attention. The present study is in line with a study conducted in Australia in 2016 by Hannah Chatwin et al. The objective of the current study is to evaluate the efficacy of EFT and CBT in the treatment of stress, anxiety and depression, short- term memory loss, psychophysiological coherence and heart rate in Indian young adults. Subjects (n = 14), selected at random, from Ahmedabad (a metro city) in India, were screened for stress, anxiety and depression using Depression, Anxiety and Stress scale (DASS21) and
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI2). They were also screened for short term memory using Digit Span test, which allowed assessments of each participant’s initial complaints of forgetfulness, difficulty in concentrating and confusion. Their psychophysiological coherence score and heart rate were recorded pre- and post- interventions using emWave system. These subjects were randomly assigned to an 8 once a week CBT or EFT treatment program. All participants were screened after 3 sessions, 5 sessions, 8 sessions and 6 months of follow up using DASS21, BDI2 and Digit Span Test. They were also screened after 1 month for stress, anxiety and depression using DASS21 and BDI2. Findings of the study depicted that both intervention approaches produced significant reductions in stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms and concurrent improvement in short-term memory (STM), psychophysiological coherence and heart rate. The EFT treatment produced marked improvement in depression after 3 sessions. After 8 weeks of intervention, the CBT group reported significant improvement in depression and short- term memory, while EFT intervention therapy showed significant improvement in depression state after 1 month and 6 months of follow up respectively.
Examination of individual cases showed, clinically significant improvement in stress, anxiety, depression symptoms, short-term memory and psychophysiological coherence across both interventions. The results are consistent with the previous studies by Hannah Chatwin et al. (2016).
Present findings suggest that EFT would be an effective intervention therapy in managing stress, anxiety, depression and STM and worthy of further investigation.
Anger
Reduce symptoms of suppressed anger
Song, S-Y., Lee, J-H., Suh, J-W., Kwon, C-Y., & Kim, J-W. (2014). Qualitative analysis of the influence of an Emotion Freedom Techniques (EFT) group treatment program for Hwa-Byung (suppressed anger) patients. Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry, 25(1), 29-38. DOI: 10.7231/jon.2014.25.1.029.
Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the effects of Emotion Freedom Techniques (EFT) group treatment program for Hwa-byung (suppressed anger) patients.
Methods: Thirteen Hwa-byung patients participated in a four week program of EFT group treatment. One-hour sessions were administered weekly. Between sessions, participants self-administered EFT in order to control their symptoms. Four weeks after the program ended, we interviewed the participants using a semi-structured interview. Data collected was summarized using qualitative analysis.
Results: The EFT group treatment program produced positive effects in physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms. Most of the participants experienced relief from Hwa-byung symptoms like chest tightness, hot flashes, and insomnia. Their ability to cope with stress improved and their re-experiencing of past memories decreased. Their distorted self-images were improved. A decrease in negative emotions and an increase in positive emotions was noted. Participants were able control their symptoms between sessions with EFT. In addition, the group therapy format helped participants to develop social support.
Conclusions: An EFT group treatment program can relieve the physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms of Hwa-byung. This program can be applied in psychotherapeutic treatment of Hwa-byung.
