Boath, E., Stewart, A., Carryer, A. · Staffordshire University, CPSI Monograph · 2012
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.
This review sits above individual trials, pooling comparisons across PTSD, fibromyalgia, phobias, test anxiety, and athletic performance, and finding EFT beat every active comparison except EMDR — that breadth, across such different conditions, is a stronger signal than any single result showing tapping outperforming one relaxation exercise once.
If tapping continues to outperform passive comparisons like relaxation exercises or a support group, it points toward EFT being a genuinely active technique — not just 'doing something' — that could give people with phobias, test anxiety, or performance nerves a fast, self-taught option to try before or alongside longer therapy courses. Because it's self-administered once learned, they could use it repeatedly on their own schedule, with no repeat visit and no additional cost each time the anxiety returns.
Since only EMDR beat EFT across these comparisons, the next step is a head-to-head trial adding objective outcome measures — HRV, cortisol, or fMRI amygdala reactivity — directly comparing EFT and EMDR to see whether their similar clinical performance reflects a shared underlying mechanism, like memory reconsolidation, or two different physiological routes to the same relief. It would also be worth updating this review with more recent trials and any biomarker data now available, since it draws only on studies through 2012.
| Design | Systematic review |
|---|---|
| Participants | 7 studies pooled |
| Population | published RCTs of EFT across psychological disorders |
| Comparison group | diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscular relaxation, inspirational lecture, support group, EMDR |
| Journal | Staffordshire University, CPSI Monograph |
| Year | 2012 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Method | EFT / tapping |
| Publication type | Review or meta-analysis |
| Verification | ✓ Confirmed against the primary source |
Boath, E., Stewart, A., & Carryer, A. (2012). A narrative systematic review of the effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). Staffordshire University, CPSI Monograph.
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 · Phobias · Test Anxiety & Students · Athletic Performance · Other Physical Conditions
A ready-made graphic — right-click or long-press to save the image.