Hodge, P.M., Jurgens, C.Y. · Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, and Treatment · 2011
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).
Psoriasis is rooted in immune-system dysregulation, so a skin flare or a clear patch of skin is itself a visible, physical readout of what's happening inside the immune system, even though this pilot tracked improvement through validated quality-of-life and symptom scales (Skindex-29, SA-45) rather than a blood-drawn immune marker. Watching those scores keep improving for three months after a single workshop, in a condition that's notoriously stubborn and stress-reactive, is a meaningful signal even without a lab test attached.
If this pattern holds up, it suggests people living with a visible, often stigmatizing skin condition could learn a technique in a single day-long workshop and then keep using it at home indefinitely, at no cost and with no need to keep returning to a clinic, to help manage the stress known to trigger and worsen flares.
The clearest next step is adding an objective dermatologic measure to the self-report scales already used here, such as a clinician-scored severity index (PASI) or photographs of affected skin area, alongside a blood-drawn inflammatory marker like CRP or IL-17 that's directly implicated in psoriasis. Tracking those objective markers over the same three-month follow-up window used here would show whether the felt improvement in quality of life is matched by a measurable calming of the skin and immune system itself.
| Design | Outcome study |
|---|---|
| Participants | 12 people |
| Population | adults with psoriasis (n=12) who attended a 6-hour EFT workshop |
| Outcome measures | Skindex-29, Symptom Assessment-45 (SA-45) — Global Severity Index (GSI) and symptom breadth (PST) scales |
| Journal | Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, and Treatment |
| Year | 2011 |
| Language | English |
| Method | EFT / tapping |
| Publication type | Study / trial |
| Verification | ✓ Confirmed against the primary source |
Hodge, P.M., & Jurgens, C.Y. (2011). Psychological and Physiological Symptoms of Psoriasis After Group EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Treatment: A Pilot Study. Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, and Treatment. https://doi.org/10.9769/EPJ.2011.3.2.PMH.CYJ
This record is part of the Tapping Evidence Base — an openly-sourced, fully-referenced directory of the research on EFT/tapping. Explore more studies on Other Physical Conditions
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