Research & Studies
Peer-reviewed and clinical evidence supporting Emotional Freedom Techniques across a wide range of psychological and physical health conditions
The studies below are organised by clinical application area. They include randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, neuroimaging research, clinical studies, and study protocols examining EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) across different conditions. The research includes multiple randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews showing consistent positive effects of EFT across a range of psychological and physical health conditions. These findings include reductions in anxiety, trauma symptoms, depression, pain, and stress-related physiological measures. Several controlled studies have shown effects that go beyond placebo. Newer research is also looking at possible brain and biological mechanisms involved. Overall, the research base for EFT is steadily growing and increasingly supported by clinical evidence across different populations and settings.
Pain & Physical Health
Stapleton, P., Wilson, C., Uechtritz, N., Stewart, M., et al. (2024). A randomized clinical trial of EFT for chronic pain: Live versus self-paced delivery with 6-month follow-up. European Journal of Pain.
EFT significantly reduced chronic pain and improved quality of life, with sustained benefits at six months across both delivery formats.
Bakır, N., Irmak Vural, P., & Körpe, G. (2022). The effects of EFT on coping with premenstrual syndrome: A randomized controlled trial. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 58(4), 1502–1511.
Participants experienced significant reductions in pain, psychological distress, and improvements in mobility following EFT.
Church, D., & Nelms, J. (2016). Pain, range of motion, and psychological symptoms in frozen shoulder: A randomized controlled dismantling study of clinical EFT. Archives of Scientific Psychology, 4(1), 38–48.
Coping ability improved and PMS symptom severity decreased following EFT intervention.
Ghaderi, Z., Nazari, F., & Shaygannejad, V. (2021). The effect of EFT on fatigue among women with multiple sclerosis: A randomized controlled trial. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 26(6), 531–536.
Fatigue levels significantly decreased in the EFT group compared to controls.
Peta, S., Oliver, B., Tom, O., & Bhuta, S. (2022). Neural changes after EFT treatment for chronic pain sufferers. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 49, 101653.
Neurophysiological changes were observed alongside reductions in chronic pain symptoms.
PTSD, Trauma & Anxiety
Church, D., Stapleton, P., Mollon, P., Feinstein, D., et al. (2018). Guidelines for the treatment of PTSD using clinical EFT. Healthcare, 6(4), 146.
Clinical evidence supports EFT as an effective intervention for PTSD, with established treatment guidelines.
Chen, W. T., Chao, T. Y., Huang, W. Z., et al. (2025). Effectiveness of EFT in alleviating symptoms associated with PTSD: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Across multiple studies, EFT consistently reduced PTSD symptom severity.
Choi, Y., Kim, Y., Choi, S., et al. (2023). EFT versus written exposure therapy versus waiting list for PTSD: Protocol for a randomized clinical MRI study. BMJ Open, 13(6), e070389.
Study protocol outlining an MRI-based randomized trial design; clinical results pending.
Choi, Y., Kim, Y., Kwon, D. H., et al. (2024). Feasibility of EFT in patients with PTSD: A pilot study. Journal of Pharmacopuncture, 27(1), 27–37.
EFT was feasible and associated with symptom improvement in PTSD patients.
Sise, M. T. (2025). Using the trauma reintegration process to treat PTSD with dissociation and somatic features: A case series. Healthcare, 13(10), 1092.
Reductions in dissociation and somatic trauma symptoms were reported following intervention.
Kalla, M., & Stapleton, P. (2016). How EFT may be utilizing memory reconsolidation mechanisms for therapeutic change in neuropsychiatric disorders such as PTSD and phobia: A proposed model.
Theoretical model suggesting EFT may work through memory reconsolidation processes.
Stress, Depression & Mental Health
Blacher, S. (2023). EFT: Tap to relieve stress and burnout. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 30, 100599.
Stress and burnout levels decreased significantly among healthcare professionals using EFT.
Bera, S., & Mukkiri, S. (2025). EFT for reducing stress and anxiety among primary caregivers of patients with mental illness in Bangalore. East Asian Archives of Psychiatry, 35(3), 175–178.
Reduced anxiety and improved emotional regulation were reported.Across multiple studies, EFT consistently reduced PTSD symptom severity.
Tambunan, M. B., Suwarni, L., Setiawati, L., & Mardjan, M. (2022). EFT as an alternative therapy to reduce anxiety disorders and depression in people who are COVID-19 positive.
Anxiety and depressive symptoms decreased following EFT intervention.
Seok, J. W., & Kim, J. U. (2024). The effectiveness of EFT for depressive symptoms: A meta-analysis.
Meta-analysis found consistent reductions in depressive symptoms across studies.
Jasubhai, S. (2021). Efficacy of EFT and CBT on stress, anxiety, depression, short-term memory, psychophysiological coherence and heart rate in Indian adults.
Improvements observed in both psychological and physiological stress markers.
Neuroscience & Mechanisms
König, N., Steber, S., Seebacher, J., et al. (2019). How therapeutic tapping can alter neural correlates of emotional prosody processing in anxiety. Brain Sciences, 9(8), 206.
EFT altered neural processing of emotional stimuli in individuals with anxiety.
Feinstein, D. (2025). How tapping works: Physiological and psychological mechanisms in energy psychology. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1660375.
Reviews biological and psychological mechanisms underlying EFT effects.
Schwarz, R., & Stapleton, P. (2026). Theoretical and clinical insights into the psychological mechanisms and active ingredients of EFT. Frontiers in Psychology, 17, 1672132.
Identifies proposed active ingredients and mechanisms of EFT.
Church, D., Stapleton, P., Yang, A., & Gallo, F. (2018). Is tapping on acupuncture points an active ingredient in EFT? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 206(10), 783–793.
Evidence suggests acupoint stimulation contributes to EFT outcomes.
Evidence Beyond Placebo
Church, D., Stapleton, P., Yang, A., & Gallo, F. (2018). Is tapping on acupuncture points an active ingredient in EFT? Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 206(10), 783–793.
Across comparative studies, EFT protocols including acupoint tapping consistently outperformed conditions without tapping.
Across comparative studies, EFT protocols including acupoint tapping consistently outperformed conditions without tapping.
A dismantling design showed the complete EFT protocol produced significantly greater improvements than partial or modified versions.
Church, D., Yount, G., & Brooks, A. J. (2012). The effect of EFT on stress biochemistry: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 200(10), 891–896.
EFT produced significantly larger reductions in cortisol than both rest and supportive intervention controls.
Clond, M. (2016). EFT for anxiety: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 204(5), 388–395.
Meta-analysis of RCTs found large effect sizes for anxiety, supporting the presence of specific therapeutic effects.
Clinical Applications
Zheng, D., Xiao, W., Duan, D., Tang, C., & Lin, X. (2025). Effectiveness of EFT therapy in alleviating anticipatory grief for cancer patients. Medicine, 104(36), e44211.
Emotional distress related to anticipatory grief was significantly reduced.
Tang, X., Wang, L., Ni, S., Wu, M., Hu, S., & Zhang, L. (2023). Feasibility and effect of emotional freedom therapy on sleep quality in patients with end-stage renal disease receiving maintenance hemodialysis.
Sleep quality improved following EFT intervention.
Stapleton, P., & Stewart, M. (2020). Comparison of two modalities of group delivery of EFT for food cravings: Online versus in-person.
Participants reported weight loss and improved psychological wellbeing.
Church, D., Stapleton, P., Sheppard, L., & Carter, B. (2018). Naturally thin you: Weight loss and psychological symptoms after a six-week online clinical EFT course.
Participants reported weight loss and improved psychological wellbeing.
Swingle, P. (2010). EFT as an effective adjunctive choice in the neurotherapeutic treatment of seizure disorders.
EFT was used as an adjunct therapy with reported improvements in outcomes.
Spiritual EFT (SEFT)
Maryana, M., & Dewi, S. C. (2021). Spiritual EFT increased patient self-efficacy.
Self-efficacy improved following SEFT intervention.
Ikhlasia, M., & Panduragan, S. L. (2020). The effect of SEFT therapy on anxiety of NAPZA residents.
Anxiety levels decreased following intervention.
Dewi, N. L. P. T., Arifin, M. T., & Ismail, S. (2020). The influence of Gayatri mantra and EFT on quality of life of post-stroke patients.
Quality of life improved in post-stroke patients.
Yuniarti, Y., Suwondo, A., Runjati, R., et al. (2016). Influence of SEFT on cortisol levels and immunoglobulin E.
Changes observed in physiological stress markers following SEFT.
Puspitaningrum, I., & Wijayanti, D. Y. (2012). Effectiveness of SEFT intervention in schizophrenia with depression, anxiety, and stress.
Psychological symptoms decreased following intervention.
Note: Spiritual EFT (SEFT) is another form of EFT and should be clearly distinguished from Optimal EFT.
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