69 studies, strongest evidence first. Search and filter to
find what you need — each card explains what the researchers did and
found before giving the technical detail.
Meta-analysis Moderate rigor
Zhou, J., Zhu, Z., Li, R. et al. · 2025
This network meta-analysis pooled 32 randomized trials testing many different non-drug approaches to reduce fear of childbirth in pregnant women, and tapping (EFT) came out with the single largest calmed-down effect of all the methods compared, especially after birth. Network meta-analyses are powerful but rely on indirect comparisons across different trials, and EFT was represented by comparatively few of the 32 included studies, so the huge effect size should be treated with some caution pending more head-to-head EFT trials.
Emotional freedom technique showed the largest effect size among all 17 interventions for improving fear of childbirth in the postnatal period (SMD = -3.13, 95% CI -5.00 to -1.26), ahead of counseling therapy, haptonomy, CBT, and motivational interview.
Systematic review Moderate rigor
Boath, E., Stewart, A., Carryer, A. · 2012
This systematic review sifted through 42 published EFT studies down to 7 qualifying randomized trials, and found tapping outperformed comparison approaches like diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, an inspirational lecture, and a support group across conditions including PTSD, fibromyalgia, phobias, test anxiety, and athletic performance. The one method that beat EFT in these trials was EMDR. With only 7 RCTs reviewed and methodological flaws noted in the source studies, the reviewers still called for further quality research even while endorsing EFT's promise.
A search identified 42 published EFT studies, of which 7 RCTs met inclusion criteria; EFT was shown effective for PTSD, fibromyalgia, phobias, test anxiety, and athletic performance, and was superior to diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscular relaxation, an inspirational lecture, and a support group, while only EMDR outperformed EFT.
Systematic review Preliminary
Rometsch-Ogioun El Sount, C., Windthorst, P., Denkinger, J. et al. · 2019
This systematic review looked at 15 studies of chronic pain treatment in refugees with PTSD, and found several approaches, including EFT, showed positive results for both pain and PTSD symptoms. EFT is just one of several interventions covered by this review, not a review specifically about tapping, and the authors note the evidence base overall is still scarce.
15 studies were included; CBT, Narrative Exposure Therapy with biofeedback, manualized trauma psychotherapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Emotional Freedom Techniques were evaluated, resulting in positive outcomes for both pain severity and PTSD symptoms.
Systematic review Preliminary
Tarsha, M.S., Park, S., Tortora, S. · 2019
This broad review looked at many body-based therapies (massage, acupuncture, tai-chi, yoga, EFT tapping, and others) and their effects on mental health conditions. EFT was included among several approaches found to help with stress, depression, and anxiety, but massage therapy had the strongest evidence overall, and the review doesn't isolate a specific effect size for EFT alone.
Reviewing evidence across massage therapy, reflexology, acupuncture, functional relaxation, EFT, Rolfing, yoga, tai-chi, and dance/movement therapy, the authors found that massage therapy, tai-chi, dance/movement therapy, functional relaxation, reflexology, acupuncture, and EFT all appear to alleviate stress, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and facilitate pain reduction, with massage therapy having the most robust evidence and Rolfing/reflexology having the least.
Systematic review Preliminary
Beatty, L., Lambert, S. · 2013
This review evaluated internet-delivered self-help programs (only one of the 24 studies used EFT specifically) for various chronic conditions, finding mixed results and a generally guarded assessment of the evidence overall. Because EFT was just one of many interventions and not the review's focus, this entry offers limited direct insight into EFT's effectiveness specifically.
Across 24 included studies (at least one using EFT), results varied by condition: chronic pain interventions often reduced pain and some reduced distress; type 2 diabetes studies showed no significant distress improvements; irritable bowel and tinnitus studies showed more consistent benefits; the review concluded evidence for internet-based self-help had only 'guarded promise.'
Randomized trial Higher rigor
Stapleton, P., Roil, C. · 2026
One of the largest EFT trials to date: 588 adults with self-reported visual impairment were randomly assigned to an 8-week online tapping program or a waitlist. The tapping group saw meaningful drops in anger, anxiety and depression and improved sense of their own vision functioning, and those gains held six months later, while the waitlist group did not change. An intention-to-treat analysis (which accounts for people who dropped out) reached the same conclusions, so the results don't hinge on only the completers. It replicates an earlier visual-impairment tapping program by Carol Look.
In a randomised controlled trial (n=588; 321 EFT, 267 waitlist), an 8-week online Clinical EFT program produced significant Time x Allocation interactions for anger, anxiety, depression, and subjective vision functioning (all p<.001) versus waitlist. Improvements in the EFT group were maintained at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Intention-to-treat mixed-effects models confirmed the per-protocol findings for all four outcomes (all p<.001), indicating dropouts would likely have achieved similar gains.
Randomized trial Higher rigor
Güven Santur, S., Özşahin, Z. · 2024
Over 130 pregnant women in early pregnancy, some dealing with nausea and worry about the pregnancy, were randomly assigned to learn EFT or receive no extra support. The women who tapped saw their pregnancy-related anxiety drop substantially, while the untreated group's anxiety barely moved - and their nausea eased slightly more too. This is a solid randomized trial with a meaningful sample size for a population, pregnant women, that doesn't have many treatment options considered safe.
EFT significantly reduced total pregnancy-related anxiety (pretest 29.85 to post-test 20.67, p < 0.001) while the control group showed no change (p = 0.933); the EFT group also had significantly lower nausea intensity at the end of treatment (p = 0.02).
Randomized trial Moderate rigor
TFT (related method)
Robson, R., Robson, P., Ludwig, R. et al. · 2016
256 people in rural Uganda with likely PTSD were randomized to get Thought Field Therapy from newly trained local community workers right away or after a wait. Those treated improved dramatically, and the wait-list group caught up once they got treated too, with some benefit still visible over a year and a half later. This is a solid, reasonably large randomized trial demonstrating a scalable, community-delivered model.
One week after treatment, treated group scores improved from 58 to 26.1; waitlist group improved less (61.2 to 47) before treatment, then improved to 26.4 once treated; some evidence of persisting benefit 19 months later.
Randomized trial Moderate rigor
TFT (related method)
Al Awdah, A.S., et al. · 2021
160 Saudi women were split into four groups before a dental procedure, one using Thought Field Therapy tapping, others using different fear-reduction techniques or none at all. The tapping group had the lowest dental fear scores and the highest satisfaction of the active treatment groups. This was a randomized four-arm trial, giving it reasonably solid design, though details on blinding are limited.
The TFT group showed significantly lower dental fear after treatment (p<0.05); on a post-treatment item asking whether the method helped them overcome dental fear, about 65% of TFT patients agreed versus 25% in the negative-control group.
Randomized trial Moderate rigor
Karatas Okyay, E., Guven Santur, S., Ozsahin, Z. et al. · 2026
One hundred five menopausal women were randomly assigned to real Tapping, tapping on fake points, or no treatment for four weeks. Everything else about the two tapping programs was identical - same phrases, same breathing, same session length - so the only difference was where the women tapped. The real-points group ended with meaningfully lower menopause-symptom, depression, and sleep-complaint scores than both other groups, while the fake-points group looked like no treatment on those measures. Quality-of-life ratings improved in both tapping groups. Hot flashes did not change in any group. The first placebo-controlled Tapping trial in menopausal women, and one of the cleanest tests yet that the specific points matter.
Three-arm sham-controlled RCT (n=105): four weekly EFT sessions cut menopausal symptoms 46% (MRS 18.66 to 10.14; d=1.01 vs sham) and depressive symptoms 45% (Meno-D 13.97 to 7.69; d=0.87 vs sham), while sham-point tapping with identical psychological components was indistinguishable from no treatment on symptoms (p=1.000) and flat on depression. Quality of life improved in both tapping arms vs control (EFT vs sham not significant). Hot-flash (vasomotor) and sexual domains were unchanged in all arms.
Randomized trial Moderate rigor
Shahzadi, S., Ali, J. · 2024
One hundred stroke patients in Pakistan were randomly assigned to EFT plus routine rehabilitation or standard care alone. The EFT group had significantly better depression scores, quality of life, and reduced burden on their family caregivers, and this held up at follow-up. This is a single-blind randomized trial with a reasonable sample size in a lower-middle-income healthcare setting, an underrepresented context in EFT research.
Compared with standard care, the EFT group showed significantly greater reductions in depression and greater improvements in quality of life from baseline to post-intervention, with effects sustained at follow-up (all p<.01); caregiver burden also decreased more in the EFT group (p<.01).
Randomized trial Moderate rigor
Unknown, et al. · 2025
Ninety people in Nanjing, China with COPD (a chronic lung disease) who were also dealing with real anxiety and depression took part in this study. Half got their usual hospital care; half got usual care plus six weeks of tapping sessions. By six weeks, the tapping group had bigger drops in anxiety and depression and did better on sleep, fatigue, and lung-disease-specific quality of life than the group that didn't tap. This is a single-site trial in one hospital, so it's a solid early result rather than a settled answer across all COPD patients.
90 COPD inpatients with anxiety (AIR-C >=8) and depression (SDS >53) were randomized to routine care (n=45) or routine care plus a 6-week EFT program (n=45); the EFT group showed larger declines in anxiety and depression at week 6 and greater improvement in sleep quality, fatigue, and CAT quality-of-life scores than controls.
Randomized trial Moderate rigor
Yakici, T., Yagcan, H. · 2026
Eighty nursing students with PMS were randomly split between weekly Tapping sessions for two cycles or no treatment. The Tapping group ended up with far lower PMS and menstrual-symptom scores and better mental quality of life, a large between-group difference.
RCT (n=80): after ~8 weekly individual EFT sessions across two menstrual cycles, the EFT group scored significantly lower than control on PMS (113.7 vs 149.4, p<0.001), menstrual symptoms (55.4 vs 79.1, p<0.001) and distress (SUDS 3.5 vs 5.7, p<0.001); SF-12 mental component improved significantly, physical component did not. Baseline scores were equivalent.
Randomized trial Moderate rigor
Özşahin, Z., Güven Santur, S., Karakayalı Ay, Ç. et al. · 2025
78 female university students in Turkey who dealt with PMS symptoms were split into a tapping group and a no-treatment group. The women who did two short tapping sessions before their period reported real improvement in their PMS symptoms compared with the group that didn't tap. It's a moderate-sized study in a young, healthy population, so it speaks most directly to that group.
After two EFT sessions delivered in the week before menstruation, the experimental group had significantly higher post-test SUE scores and lower PMS total/subscale scores than the control group (p<0.05).
Randomized trial Moderate rigor
Cuvadar, A., Ozcan, H. · 2026
Sixty-five women with painful periods got either two Tapping sessions or standard education about period pain. The Tapping group reported less pain, fewer symptoms and better physical quality of life.
Registered RCT (n=65): two EFT sessions significantly reduced menstrual pain and negative/somatic menstrual symptoms and improved the physical-function quality-of-life parameter vs an active education control. Abstract reports significance without group means, so no between-group effect size captured; pull full text at review.
Randomized trial Moderate rigor
Cuvadar, A., Guksu, Z., Ates, S. · 2025
Sixty-four women with endometriosis pain were randomly assigned to monthly Tapping sessions plus affirmations or to breathing exercises. The Tapping group's pain scores dropped sharply over two months while the breathing group's did not, and quality of life improved across most measures. A real active-control comparison, which makes it stronger than a no-treatment design.
Parallel-group RCT (n=64, 32/32) with an active breathing-exercise control: EFT produced a significant reduction in pelvic pain (VAS 7.34 to 4.68 over two months vs control; time x group interaction eta-squared=0.323, p<0.001) and significant improvement across six SF-36 quality-of-life subscales. Primary outcome (VAS pain) met.
Randomized trial Moderate rigor
Church, D., Palmer-Hoffman, J. · 2014
Among veterans treated with EFT for PTSD, those who also had traumatic brain injury symptoms saw those symptoms improve too, not just their PTSD. This raises interesting questions about overlap between PTSD and TBI symptoms, though the veterans studied overlap with several other Church et al. papers on the same treatment program.
Significant reductions in TBI symptoms were found after 3 sessions of EFT, with further reduction after 6 months (-41%, p<.0021); gains were maintained at 3- and 6-month follow-up (p<.0006).
Randomized trial Moderate rigor
Bakır, N., Irmak Vural, P., Körpe, G. · 2021
Fifty nursing students with significant premenstrual syndrome symptoms were randomized to learn EFT or serve as controls. Within the EFT group, PMS symptoms improved significantly from before to after across most categories (mood, fatigue, sleep, swelling). The paper reports these as within-group pre/post changes and does not report a significant difference versus the control group, so read it as a promising within-group result rather than proof EFT beat the control condition.
Statistically significant differences were found between pretest and posttest for the depressive affect, fatigue, nervousness, sleep-related changes, and swelling subscale scores and the total PMSS score of the experimental group (p<0.05).
Randomized trial Moderate rigor
Ghaderi, Z., Nazari, F., Shaygannejad, V. · 2021
Fifty women with multiple sclerosis were randomly assigned to real EFT or a sham version tapping on meaningless points, single-blind. The real EFT group's fatigue dropped substantially more than the sham group's, both right after treatment and four weeks later. Using an active sham control makes this a relatively strong test that the specific tapping points and technique matter, not just the ritual or attention.
Fatigue severity did not differ between case and sham groups before intervention (p=0.67), but was significantly lower in the EFT group immediately after (3.05 vs. 5.15) and 4 weeks after (3.10 vs. 5.59) the intervention (p<0.001).
Randomized trial Preliminary Critical finding
Church, D. · 2008
People with long-standing shoulder problems were randomized to tapping, a breathing exercise, or no treatment, with a single 30-minute session. Both active treatments helped, but tapping seemed to help more with pain, especially a month later. The study itself notes it was underpowered (too few people) to be fully conclusive.
Both DB and EFT groups improved in psychological symptoms and ROM; pain results were better in the EFT group and further improved at 30-day post-test; study found that an N of 40-60 per group would be needed for full statistical significance.
Randomized trial Preliminary
Mirhoseyni, F., Demehri, F., Azizi, M. · 2024
30 adolescent girls with menstrual pain were randomly split into a group getting six weekly EFT sessions and a group getting nothing. The EFT group reported less menstrual pain and better emotional regulation skills afterward. It's a small quasi-experimental study in one school population, so broader replication is needed.
EFT had a significant effect on reduction of menstrual pain (P>0.002, as reported) and emotional regulation (cognitive reappraisal P<0.01, F=24.142; suppression P<0.01, F=21.272).
Randomized trial Preliminary
Hajloo, M., Ahadi, H., Rezabakhsh, H. et al. · 2014
Thirty diabetic patients in Iran were randomly split into an EFT group and a control group, and the EFT group showed better blood sugar control by the study's statistical test. This is a small randomized trial testing an unusual outcome (blood sugar) for a psychological intervention, and would benefit from replication with more detail on effect size.
EFT was effective in controlling blood glucose levels in diabetic patients (Fob:7.24 > Fcr:4.22).
Randomized trial Preliminary
Babamahmoodi, A., Arefnasab, Z., Noorbala, A. A. et al. · 2015
Veterans with lung damage from chemical exposure did 8 weeks of group tapping sessions versus a wait-list group. The tapping group showed improved mental health and quality of life plus changes in immune markers in their blood. This is an early study suggesting tapping might affect the immune system, not just mood, but it needs replication.
Mixed effect linear models showed EFT improved mental health (F=79.24, p=0), quality of life (F=13.89, p=0.001), decreased anxiety/insomnia (F=24.03, p<0.001), and increased lymphocyte proliferation and IL-17 (both p<0.01) compared to wait-list.
Controlled trial Moderate rigor
Cici, R., Özkan, M. · 2021
Over 160 patients about to undergo spinal disc surgery in Turkey were split into an EFT group, a music group, or standard care. Both EFT and music calmed patients' anxiety and vital signs more than standard care alone, and EFT edged out music specifically for anxiety and breathing rate. This is a well-sized three-arm trial in a real surgical setting.
EFT and music both significantly reduced state anxiety and subjective discomfort (P < .001) compared to control, with EFT more effective than music on state anxiety and respiratory rate.
Controlled trial Moderate rigor
SEFT (related method)
Yunita Sari, R., Muhith, A., Rohmawati, R. et al. · 2021
110 people with type 2 diabetes, worried about their heightened COVID-19 risk, were split into a SEFT group and an untreated group. The SEFT group's anxiety dropped from moderate to mild and their sense of well-being rose noticeably, while the untreated group barely changed. This is a reasonably sized controlled trial in a vulnerable population during a real public health crisis.
Mean anxiety in the intervention group fell from 21.89 (moderate) to 10.98 (mild) while psychological well-being rose from 147.49 to 170.91; the control group showed essentially no change (p = 0.00 for the SEFT effect).
Controlled trial Moderate rigor
SEFT (related method)
Indonesian
Maryana, M., Dewi, S. · 2021
Eighty people with type 2 diabetes in Indonesia were split into a tapping group and a control group. The tapping group's confidence in managing their own condition — their self-efficacy — improved by a statistically real margin more than the control group's. This measures confidence in self-management rather than the diabetes itself, so it speaks to psychological coping rather than blood sugar control.
80 Type 2 diabetes patients (40 SEFT, 40 control) in Sleman, Indonesia showed significantly greater improvement in self-efficacy in the SEFT group (Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney both p<0.05).
Controlled trial Moderate rigor
SEFT (related method)
Indonesian
Irman, O., Wijayanti, A.R. · 2022
Sixty-four people on dialysis for chronic kidney disease in Indonesia were split into a spiritually-framed tapping group and a usual-care group. The tapping group's sense of hopelessness dropped by a clear, statistically real margin compared to usual care. It's a quasi-experimental design (not randomized) in a seriously ill population, so consider it a solid signal specific to this group rather than a broad, cross-condition guarantee.
64 hemodialysis patients (32 SEFT, 32 control) in this Indonesian quasi-experimental trial showed a significant reduction in hopelessness on the Beck Hopelessness Scale in the SEFT group versus control (p=0.000).
Controlled trial Moderate rigor
SEFT (related method)
Indonesian
Calisanie, N.N.P., Ira, S. · 2022
Fifty-eight people with high blood pressure in an Indonesian public health clinic were split into a group combining tapping with slow, deep breathing versus usual care. The combination group's blood pressure came down substantially more — over 24 points systolic — than the usual-care group's. Because tapping was paired with breathing exercises here, the drop can't be credited to tapping alone.
58 hypertensive patients (29 SEFT + slow deep breathing, 29 control) in Bandung showed significantly greater blood pressure reduction in the intervention group — systolic dropped 24.20 mmHg and diastolic 7.55 mmHg more than control (ANCOVA p<0.05 for both).
Controlled trial Moderate rigor
Cholifah, N., Sukarmin, Kholiq, A. · 2020
Thirty-four older adults with high blood pressure in rural Indonesia received EFT combined with Quran recitation, while a comparison group did not. The treated group's blood pressure dropped significantly; the untreated group's didn't budge. Because EFT was combined with recitation in one bundled intervention, this can't tell us how much of the effect came from tapping alone.
Blood pressure significantly decreased in the intervention group (p < 0.001 for both systolic and diastolic) but showed no significant change in the control group.
Controlled trial Moderate rigor
Isworo, A., Anam, A., Indrawati, N. · 2019
32 elderly hypertensive patients were split into an EFT tapping group and a no-treatment control group, with the EFT group tapping 20 minutes a day for a week. The tapping group's systolic (top number) blood pressure dropped significantly more than the control group's, though the diastolic (bottom number) reading didn't show the same clear benefit.
EFT therapy (20 minutes daily for a week) produced a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure in the intervention group (p<0.001) and a significant between-group difference in systolic BP reduction (p=0.014) versus control, though diastolic BP changes were not significant within or between groups.
Controlled trial Preliminary
Sampoornam, W. · 2023
150 mothers recovering from C-sections took part in a partially-randomized patient-preference study (some allocated by preference, some randomized) comparing EFT with standard care; the EFT group showed a bigger drop in postpartum blues and parenting stress. Because assignment was partly by preference, other factors like motivation could partly explain the difference.
Paired and unpaired t-tests showed statistical significance in scaling down postpartum blues and parenting stress symptoms in the EFT arm compared to the standard-care control arm.
Controlled trial Preliminary
SEFT (related method)
Lismayanti, L., Hidayatulloh, B. · 2019
30 people with high blood pressure were split into groups receiving SEFT tapping versus a control group, and among SEFT recipients some got one round of tapping and others got three rounds. SEFT lowered blood pressure, but doing it three times wasn't meaningfully better than doing it once, suggesting even a brief session may help.
SEFT therapy reduced blood pressure in hypertensive patients, but there was no significant difference between receiving 1 round versus 3 rounds of SEFT, suggesting a single round may be sufficient for blood pressure benefit.
Controlled trial Preliminary Critical finding
Connais, C. · 2009
Six women with fibromyalgia were split between EFT sessions and a waiting list. The tapping group trended toward improvement, but with only six participants the study was too small to reach statistical significance. This is a very preliminary, inconclusive result.
Results were not statistically significant, though data indicated overall improvement for the EFT treatment group compared to wait-list.
Biology / mechanism Preliminary
Lambrou, P., Pratt, G., Chevalier, G. · 2005
Eight people, half with claustrophobia and half without, had various physiological measurements taken while trying a tapping-based treatment. The claustrophobic group's anxiety scores dropped and stayed down two weeks later, alongside several physiological changes. With only four people per group, this preliminary study needs replication with larger samples.
A 30-minute energy psychology treatment showed reductions in trapezius muscle EMG, changes in ERG Theta wave activity, and changes in meridian electro-conductance; STAI scores were significantly lower even at a two-week follow-up for the claustrophobic group.
Outcome study Preliminary
Church, D., Brooks, A. · 2010
216 healthcare workers tried a single 2-hour tapping demonstration and self-practice session. Afterward, their reported pain, cravings, and emotional distress all dropped sharply, and just over half completed a 90-day follow-up where most gains had held. No comparison group was used, so we can't be sure how much of the improvement was specific to tapping.
Symptom severity dropped 45 percent and symptom breadth 40 percent (both p<.001) after a single 2-hour EFT self-application session among 216 healthcare-conference attendees; pain scores dropped 68%, intensity of traumatic memories 83%, and cravings 83% (all p<.001, per full-text tables).
Outcome study Preliminary
Bilazarian, R., Hux, M. · 2020
75 people at a virtual wellness conference tried a brief self-administered tapping-adjacent technique (Brief Energy Correction) for their current pain or emotional upset. In under two minutes, self-rated pain intensity dropped about 70% and emotional upset dropped about 85% on average. This was an uncontrolled group demonstration, not a controlled trial, so placebo effects and expectation cannot be ruled out.
For the 39 participants with pain as the presenting issue, average intensity dropped from 5.5 to 1.56 (70% reduction, p<0.0001) after 3 rounds of the Brief Energy Correction (BEC-6); for the 36 participants with emotional upsets, average intensity dropped from 6.1 to 0.9 (85% reduction, p<0.0001), all within a roughly 90-second self-administered virtual demonstration.
Outcome study Preliminary
Church, D., David, I. · 2019
39 business executives attended a one-day seminar using a group tapping method called Borrowing Benefits, where everyone taps along while watching a certified practitioner work with one person. Afterward, their stress-related symptoms, pain, and cravings all dropped substantially. There was no control group and no follow-up, so this shows an immediate effect in a workplace-like setting rather than lasting change.
After a daylong seminar combining psychoeducation with group-format Clinical EFT (Borrowing Benefits protocol), severity of anxiety/depression symptoms declined 34% (p<0.0008), pain declined 41%, and cravings for problem food and drink declined 50% (both p<0.0001).
Outcome study Preliminary
Uma, D.T., Safreena, I. · 2021
30 postnatal mothers in India had their postpartum blues measured before and after EFT; most who started with moderate blues improved to a milder level. Only 13.3% of mothers initially had adequate knowledge about postpartum blues, highlighting an education gap the study also noted. This is a small quasi-experimental study.
Of 13 mothers with moderate postpartum blues at pretest, 66.7% improved to a mild level after EFT; the pretest/post-test change was statistically significant ('t' value 5.72, p<0.05).
Outcome study Preliminary
SEFT (related method)
Rachman, W. O. N. N., Rahmadhania, W. O., Indriani, C. et al. · 2023
This is the Indonesian SEFT variant, which folds Islamic prayer into the tapping process — different from the secular EFT taught in most Western programs. 22 patients with hypertensive heart disease in an Indonesian intensive care unit tried SEFT and reported feeling less anxious afterward. There was no comparison group, so it's not possible to know how much of that improvement was simply from resting, attention, or time passing rather than the technique itself.
Anxiety levels before and after SEFT therapy decreased significantly (p=0.000) in this single-group pre-post study of 22 patients.
Outcome study Preliminary
TFT (related method)
Darby, D.W. · 2002
21 people with a fear of needles received one hour of Thought Field Therapy and, a month later, reported significantly less distress about needles. There was no comparison group, so the finding is preliminary, and the dissertation itself recommends larger future studies.
A significant difference pre- and post-treatment was found on the SUDS after a single one-hour TFT session, with no significant difference by gender.
Outcome study Preliminary
You, Y. L., Ramoo, V., Yahaya, N. et al. · 2025
For people with rheumatoid arthritis who are afraid to move because of pain, a month of guided tapping proved safe and easy to stick with - and their fear of movement, pain, and anxiety all eased.
An adapted 4-week EFT protocol was feasible, safe (no adverse events), and acceptable (80% adherence, 75-85% satisfaction) in RA patients with kinesiophobia; TSK-17 scores fell 6.5 points (12.7%; Hedges' g = 1.36, within-group), with moderate-to-large within-group improvements in pain and anxiety.
Outcome study Preliminary
TFT (related method)
Darby, D., Hartung, J. · 2012
20 people with a fear of needles tried a single hour of Thought Field Therapy and reported meaningful improvement that held up a month later. There was no separate untreated comparison group, so it's an early pilot rather than definitive proof, though the authors call for a full randomized trial.
Significant improvement in symptoms was noted from pre- to posttest and at 1-month follow-up after a single 1-hour TFT session.
Outcome study Preliminary
Çuvadar, A., Günes, A., Çuvadar Bas, Y. et al. · 2025
Sixteen women with multiple sclerosis received biweekly EFT sessions plus affirmation practice, and their sexual dysfunction scores improved by around seven weeks, along with some aspects of self-care. This is a small, uncontrolled pretest-posttest study with a very small sample, so the results should be seen as an early signal rather than confirmed evidence.
Mean scores of all MSISQ-19 subdimensions reached their lowest (best) levels by the seventh week following EFT intervention (p<0.05), with improvement in the social protection dimension of self-care, though self-protection subdimension scores decreased.
Outcome study Preliminary
Church, D., Nelms, J. · 2016
In a small study of people being treated for frozen shoulder — a painful, physical joint condition — tapping was linked to a solid improvement in mood as a side benefit, though there was no comparison group to rule out other explanations.
Depression symptoms decreased by 44% (d=0.88) in this small, uncontrolled sample of adults being treated for frozen shoulder, a physical condition, suggesting mood benefits alongside the primary physical-symptom focus of that study.
Outcome study Preliminary
Hodge, P.M., Jurgens, C.Y. · 2011
Twelve adults with psoriasis attended a single 6-hour tapping workshop and were told to keep tapping daily at home. Their psychological distress and skin-related quality of life both improved substantially right after the workshop, and the improvement largely held at one and three months later. With only 12 participants and no comparison group, this is an early signal rather than proof, but it is a real, peer-reviewed pilot study.
In a pilot study of 12 adults with psoriasis who attended a single 6-hour EFT workshop and used EFT daily, psychological symptom severity (GSI) fell 56.43% post-workshop (p=.043) and remained reduced ~50% at 3-month follow-up; skin-related quality of life (Skindex-29) improved 42-58% post-workshop and 75-90% at follow-up (all p≤.002).
Outcome study Preliminary Arabic
El-Banna, Z. R. A., Abu Zeid, A. A. · 2020
Eight young children with autism and hyperactivity in Egypt went through an EFT-based program, and their hyperactivity and attention scores improved from before to after the program, with the improvement still holding a month later. There was no comparison group of children who didn't get the program, and the sample was very small, so this is best read as an early, exploratory result specific to this population rather than strong evidence.
In this 8-child single-group study, non-parametric tests showed statistically significant improvement on the Conners hyperactivity scale from pre- to post-test (p<0.05, Z values -2.522 to -2.534), with gains maintained at one-month follow-up (no significant change from post-test to follow-up).
Outcome study Preliminary
SEFT (related method)
Indonesian
Fatmasari, D., Widyana, R., Budiyani, K. · 2019
Five people with high blood pressure and significant stress in Indonesia tried Spiritual EFT, a version of tapping combined with prayer, in a one-group before-and-after design. Their stress scores dropped substantially, from an average of 82 down to 56 on a 28-item scale, a change large enough to be a real effect rather than chance. The sample is only five people with no comparison group, so it's best treated as a very early signal.
In 5 hypertensive patients, mean stress scores fell from 82.20 pretest to 56.20 posttest following Spiritual Emotional Freedom Technique (SEFT), a statistically significant difference on Wilcoxon signed-rank test (Z=-2.023, p<0.050).
Case series Preliminary
TFT (related method)
Seidi, P.A., Jaff, D., Connolly, S.M. et al. · 2021
In a conflict-affected region of Iraq with scarce mental health resources, this retrospective look at case files found that clients who got Thought Field Therapy (tapping-related) improved much more consistently than those who got standard CBT, and CBT non-responders improved once switched to TFT. This is a retrospective case series without randomization, so the comparison between treatments could be affected by which patients happened to get which therapy.
All 11 clients who received only Thought Field Therapy showed improvement; of 13 CBT clients only 1 improved; 7 CBT non-responders who then received TFT also improved.
Case series Preliminary
TFT (related method)
Callahan, R. · 2001
Twenty people, some with existing heart problems, were treated with a tapping-based technique and showed bigger improvements in heart rate variability than typically reported for other treatments, matching how much better they said they felt. This is a case series without controls, so it's suggestive rather than definitive.
Improvements in HRV following TFT treatment exceeded reports found in the literature at the time, with a close correspondence between improved HRV and reduced client-reported distress.
Case series Preliminary
Coyle, S. · 2017
A clinician used EFT tapping with three patients in palliative (end-of-life) care who were emotionally distressed, and all three felt better quickly afterward. With only three cases and no control group, this is exploratory evidence suggesting EFT is worth studying further in this setting, not proof it works broadly.
Following EFT treatment, all three palliative patients' emotional distress decreased within a very short time, suggesting EFT has potential as a tool to improve care for palliative patients experiencing distressing emotions.
Case series Preliminary
Sise, M.T. · 2025
Two patients with PTSD and dissociation had their tapping treatment stall until a new technique called the Trauma Reintegration Process was added, after which nightmares and flashbacks improved substantially. As a two-patient case series, this shows a promising combination approach but cannot prove effectiveness broadly.
In both cases, EFT treatment stalled when the patient dissociated, but after the Trauma Reintegration Process (TRP) was introduced, EFT treatment regained momentum, leading to significant improvement in PTSD symptoms including reduced nightmares and flashbacks.
Case series Preliminary
TFT (related method)
Pasahow, R. · 2009
Two people bothered by tinnitus (ringing in the ears) tried Thought Field Therapy, a tapping-based technique, and reported less depression and anxiety about their symptoms. With just two cases, this is only a preliminary, illustrative report.
Two case studies demonstrated that Thought Field Therapy reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety in decompensated tinnitus patients.
Case series Preliminary
Boath, E., Philpott, H. · 2023
A person whose sense of smell had been warped by COVID so that ordinary foods smelled like garbage did three tapping sessions targeting specific smells and foods, and came out able to eat, socialize, and go back to work again. It's a single retrospective case report with no control or blinding, so it's a compelling clinical account rather than proof tapping treats parosmia broadly.
Over three Clinical EFT sessions targeting specific foods, drinks, and odors, a client with post-COVID parosmia became able to tolerate previously intolerable smells and eat foods that had been tapped on, regaining the ability to eat out, socialize, and return to work.
Case series Preliminary
Fuller, S., Stapleton, P. · 2021
A woman who suffered a bleeding stroke started daily tapping sessions within 24 hours of the event, and by the end of a week in hospital she was walking, balanced, and had far less pain, anxiety, and depression than typically expected — she was even driving again within weeks, and a later brain scan showed little trace of the damage. This is one dramatic single case, not a trial, so it can't tell us how often stroke patients would see results like this; it's best read as a striking clinical account rather than a predictor of typical recovery.
After roughly 90 minutes of daily EFT (supplemented with guided imagery) for seven days following a hemorrhagic stroke, the patient was discharged with reduced depression, anxiety, and pain, restored mobility and coordination, passed a driving test within weeks, and follow-up CT scans showed minimal residual scarring with stable blood pressure and no medication required.
Case series Preliminary
SEFT (related method)
Setiyowati, E., Rahman, A. · 2020
A nurse used SEFT (a spiritual variant of EFT tapping) with one tuberculosis patient experiencing anxiety, once a day for three days. The patient's anxiety gradually decreased. This is a single case report, so it only illustrates a possible approach rather than proving effectiveness broadly.
SEFT therapy applied once daily for 3 days to one tuberculosis patient with anxiety was followed by a gradual decrease in the patient's anxiety in this single case report.
Case series Preliminary
Di Rienzo, F., Saruco, E., Church, D. et al. · 2019
One person with a severe fear of flying had her brain activity measured with a specialized scanner (MEG) before and after EFT treatment; her fear ratings dropped and her brain activity changed in ways similar to patterns seen in other successful anxiety treatments. As a single-subject pilot, it's meant to demonstrate a research method for future larger studies, not to prove effectiveness on its own.
Posttest SUD and FAS scores were reduced compared to pretest, with gains maintained at 4-week follow-up for SUD only; MEG revealed event-related beta desynchronization and a fronto-occipital network predicting SUD scores.
Case series Preliminary
McCallion, F. · 2012
A single client with dyslexia underwent three EFT sessions targeting specific emotional memories, and afterward showed marked improvement in reading fluency and reduced disorientation. As a single case study, this cannot establish whether EFT would work similarly for others with dyslexia, and the author explicitly notes this requires further study.
By the end of 3 connected EFT sessions addressing specific teacher-related events, prebirth issues, and the birth process, the client was able to read easily and fluently, sequence and understand sequences, with disorientation reduced to no longer being an issue.
Case series Preliminary
Craig, G., Bach, D., Groesbeck, G. et al. · 2009
A woman who'd needed a walking stick for six years after a severe brain injury did jumping jacks and hopped on one leg within minutes of a single EFT session, and the improvement was still holding a year and a half later. Brain-wave recordings taken during the session showed her anxiety-linked activity dropping in real time. This is a single case study, not a controlled trial, so it's a striking anecdote with physiological data attached rather than proof the effect generalizes.
A single EFT session eliminated vertigo and restored balance (the woman could walk unaided, do jumping jacks, and hop on one leg) in a woman with residual symptoms from a traumatic brain injury sustained six years earlier; EEG showed reduced beta-wave amplitude and greater hemispheric balance during the session, and gains were reportedly maintained at 17-month follow-up.
Case series Preliminary
Look, C., Larson, Z. · 2009
A young man with cerebral palsy who had years of physiotherapy and speech therapy tried tapping and reportedly showed noticeable improvement in movement and communication. As a single case report, this cannot establish that tapping caused the change, but it may prompt further research.
After learning EFT at age 22, the individual showed marked improvements in coordination of his affected side and in verbal/sign-language communication, beyond gains from prior physiotherapy and speech therapy.
Case series Preliminary
McCarty, W.A. · 2008
A therapist describes treating a young boy's eating phobia using tapping performed by a surrogate without the child present, based on ideas about early prenatal experience. This is a highly unconventional single case report relying on nonlocal/surrogate concepts that are not part of mainstream EFT protocols, and should be read with significant skepticism.
A one-session therapeutic intervention combining prenatal/perinatal psychology understanding with a nonlocal (surrogate) application of EFT is described as resolving the child's eating phobia.
Case series Preliminary
TFT (related method)
Callahan, R. · 2001
This clinical report describes cases where a tapping-based technique changed patients' heart rate variability, a marker linked to overall health, sometimes within seconds of treatment. It's a descriptive clinical report rather than a controlled study, so it can only suggest ideas for future research.
Clinical report presents cases where TFT both raised and lowered HRV depending on treatment specificity; some TFT treatments produced HRV improvements within seconds.
Review Moderate rigor
TFT (related method)
Dunnewold, A.L. · 2014
This paper summarizes four related field studies (in Rwanda and Uganda) testing whether local community leaders trained briefly in Thought Field Therapy could help genocide and trauma survivors, generally finding reduced trauma symptoms. It's a summary/description paper covering several underlying studies rather than one single new trial.
TFT has been shown to reduce PTS symptoms with trauma survivors in four related studies in Africa, including two RCTs in Rwanda (2008, 2009) and preparation of a third RCT in Uganda, using community-leader-facilitated TFT.
Review Preliminary
Feinstein, D. · 2021
This paper pulls together what over 800 therapists and coaches have said about using energy psychology (including tapping) in their practices, highlighting common themes like how fast it seems to work and how safe it feels. It's a summary of practitioner opinion and experience, not a controlled trial, so it reflects perceptions rather than proven outcomes.
Synthesizing 15 separate surveys/interview studies with 800+ practitioners, the paper identifies themes (speed, breadth, safety, therapeutic alliance, intuitive access, spiritual attunement) and derives nine implications for clinical practice.
Review Preliminary
Latifah, L., Setiawati, N., Rismawati, I. · 2019
This small study of women in early labor found that tapping therapy did NOT significantly reduce anxiety or pain compared to no tapping. With only 13 total participants split into two tiny groups, this is likely underpowered to detect a real effect, but it's an honest null result worth including for balance.
Paired t-test results showed p-values higher than 0.05, meaning there was no significant difference in pain and anxiety levels between before and after tapping therapy in either group; the study concluded tapping was not effective for this outcome.
Review Preliminary
Kalla, M., Simmons, M., Robinson, A. et al. · 2020
Researchers interviewed 8 chronic disease patients who had used EFT about how they made sense of their illness. Patients described their disease as tied to unresolved emotions, as a forced pause, or as a way of setting boundaries with others. This is a small qualitative study exploring meaning-making, not a test of whether EFT reduces symptoms.
Qualitative analysis of interviews identified three themes describing patients' symbolic meaning-making around illness: illness as embodiment of unresolved emotional issues, illness as the body's call for time-out and attention, and illness as a boundary from other people, suggesting EFT can help patients make existential sense of chronic disease.
Review Preliminary
Kalla, M., Simmons, M., Robinson, A. et al. · 2017
Researchers interviewed 8 EFT practitioners about their experiences using tapping to help chronic disease patients. Practitioners described using EFT both for patients' emotional struggles and for managing physical symptoms. This is a qualitative study of practitioner perspectives, not a test of patient outcomes.
Qualitative analysis of practitioner interviews identified two super-ordinate themes concerning the application of EFT for addressing emotional issues faced by chronic disease patients and for management of physical symptoms, supporting EFT as a technique for the psychosocial aspect of chronic disease healthcare.
Review Preliminary
Farzad, M., MacDermid, J., Ring, D. et al. · 2021
This scoping review examined how psychological factors and treatments, including EFT as one of several cognitive approaches, are addressed in shoulder pain research, finding that biopsychosocial approaches generally reduced pain and catastrophic thinking. Since EFT is only one of many approaches reviewed and not analyzed as a separate category, this doesn't provide specific evidence about EFT's effectiveness for shoulder pain on its own.
Of 10 identified studies (7 RCTs, 3 cohorts) addressing psychological aspects of shoulder pain, 8 used cognitive approaches including EFT among several other methods (pain coping strategies, mindfulness training, CBT, virtual reality cognitive therapy); reduction of pain intensity and catastrophic thinking was achieved in most studies using a biopsychosocial approach (70%).
Review Preliminary
Wittfoth, D., Pfeiffer, A., Bohne, M. et al. · 2020
Healthy volunteers had their brains scanned while using a tapping-based technique to regulate reactions to disturbing or disgusting images. The brain activity pattern during tapping looked different from what's typically seen with other calming techniques. This is basic neuroscience research in healthy people, not a clinical trial in patients with a diagnosed condition.
Neural activation in the amygdala increased during bifocal tapping-based regulation while ventral anterior cingulate cortex activation decreased, a distinct neural signature from other emotion regulation strategies.
Review Preliminary
Church, D., Brooks, A. · 2010
This article is a general introduction to how EFT is taught and practiced, aimed at clinicians new to the method, with case examples. It's a descriptive/educational article rather than a new research study.
Describes EFT technique, how it's taught in workshops, and provides case examples; states research indicates EFT is effective for anxiety, depression, PTSD, phobias, and certain physical complaints.