Tapping (EFT) for Other Physical Conditions: evidence summary

A one-page overview of the peer-reviewed research, prepared for discussion with a healthcare provider. The Tapping Evidence Base · July 2026

69studies
28randomized trials
5meta-analyses/reviews
4,140participants

Selected strongest studies

StudyDesignJournalEffect
Boath, E., Stewart, A. et al. (2012)
A search identified 42 published EFT studies, of which 7 RCTs met inclusion criteria; EFT was shown effective for PTSD…
 Systematic review, 7 studies Staffordshire University, CPSI Monograph
Stapleton, P., Roil, C. (2026)
In a randomised controlled trial (n=588; 321 EFT, 267 waitlist), an 8-week online Clinical EFT program produced significant Time…
 Randomized trial, N=588 Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine
Robson, R., Robson, P. et al. (2016)
One week after treatment, treated group scores improved from 58 to 26.
 Randomized trial, N=256 Current Research in Psychology Cohen's d = -1.83
Al Awdah, A.S., et al. (2021)
The TFT group showed significantly lower dental fear after treatment (p<0.
 Randomized trial, N=160 EC Dental Science
Güven Santur, S., Özşahin, Z. (2024)
EFT significantly reduced total pregnancy-related anxiety (pretest 29.
 Randomized trial, N=131 Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine Cohen's d = -0.63
Karatas Okyay, E., Guven Santur, S. et al. (2026)
Three-arm sham-controlled RCT (n=105): four weekly EFT sessions cut menopausal symptoms 46% (MRS 18.
 Randomized trial, N=105 Menopause Cohen's d = 1.01
Shahzadi, S., Ali, J. (2024)
Compared with standard care, the EFT group showed significantly greater reductions in depression and greater improvements in…
 Randomized trial, N=100 International Journal of Social Sciences Bulletin
Unknown, et al. (2025)
90 COPD inpatients with anxiety (AIR-C >=8) and depression (SDS >53) were randomized to routine care (n=45) or routine care plus…
 Randomized trial, N=90 Preventive Medicine Reports
What Tapping (EFT) is. A brief self-administered technique combining exposure and cognitive elements with fingertip stimulation of acupressure points. It is used as a self-help and adjunctive practice for stress and emotional regulation. Effect sizes above are reported as each study gives them: randomized and controlled trials give tapping versus a comparison group, while meta-analyses give pooled estimates — between-group versus control, or within-group pre-post where the row is labelled that way. For standardized effects (d, g), ≥ 0.8 is considered large; a Mean Difference is on the symptom scale's own units, not standardized. Limitations across this literature include variable use of active vs. waitlist controls and reliance on self-report measures. This summary is informational and not a substitute for clinical judgment.