The Tapping Evidence Base
PTSD & Trauma · Multiple Conditions

Comparison of efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing of emotional freedom technique and cognitive-behavioral therapy in PTSD in COVID-19

Akbari, M., Aghdasi, A., Panah Ali, A., Azemodeh, M., Naghdi Sadeh, R. · Journal of Modern Psychological Researches · 2023

Controlled trial👥 48 participants⚖️ vs. control group (no treatment)Moderate rigor✓ Source-checked📍 Iran
In plain English. Forty-eight women recovering from COVID-19 with PTSD symptoms in Iran were assigned to EMDR, EFT, CBT, or no treatment. All three active treatments beat no-treatment, but EMDR outperformed both EFT and CBT in this particular comparison. This is a quasi-experimental design (not randomized) with a fairly small sample split across four groups.

What they found

48
people took part

PTSD scores were significantly reduced in all three treatment groups (EMDR, EFT, CBT) versus control (p<0.05), but EMDR was significantly more effective at reducing PTSD symptoms than either CBT or EFT.

How the study worked

Who took partfemale patients recovered from COVID-19 in Tabriz, Iran, aged 25-60, diagnosed with PTSD (n=48)
What they didIn a controlled trial, a tapping group was compared against a separate comparison group.
Compared withcontrol group (no treatment)
Measured withpost-traumatic stress disorder checklist

⭐ Why this study matters

This is a rare head-to-head trial putting tapping (EFT) against two established therapies, EMDR and CBT, for PTSD. All three beat the no-treatment control, which is a meaningful result for tapping, but it is important to report honestly that EMDR reduced PTSD symptoms significantly more than either EFT or CBT here.

💡 Where this could help

Tapping showing a real effect against an active control is encouraging, but this trial suggests it should be positioned as one useful option among several rather than the strongest, at least for PTSD.

🔬 What to study next

Larger trials that replicate this three-way comparison would help clarify where tapping fits relative to EMDR and CBT, and for which patients it works best.

The full record

DesignControlled trial
Participants48 people
Populationfemale patients recovered from COVID-19 in Tabriz, Iran, aged 25-60, diagnosed with PTSD
Comparison groupcontrol group (no treatment)
Outcome measurespost-traumatic stress disorder checklist
JournalJournal of Modern Psychological Researches
Year2023
CountryIran
LanguageEnglish
MethodEFT / tapping
Publication typeStudy / trial
Verification✓ Confirmed against the primary source

Read the original study →

Cite this study

APA

Akbari, M., Aghdasi, A., Panah Ali, A., Azemodeh, M., & Naghdi Sadeh, R. (2023). Comparison of efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing of emotional freedom technique and cognitive-behavioral therapy in PTSD in COVID-19. Journal of Modern Psychological Researches. https://doi.org/10.22034/jmpr.2023.16246

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 PTSD & Trauma

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THE TAPPING EVIDENCE BASE PTSD & Trauma 48 participants WHAT THEY FOUND PTSD scores were significantly reduced inall three treatment groups (EMDR, EFT, CBT)versus control (p<0.05), but… Controlled trial · 48 participants Akbari · 2023 · evidence.thetappingsolution.com