The Tapping Evidence Base
Other Physical Conditions · Depression · Burnout & Work Stress

The Effect of a Brief EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Self-Intervention on Anxiety, Depression, Pain and Cravings in Healthcare Workers

Church, D., Brooks, A. · Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal · 2010

Outcome study👥 216 participantsPreliminary✓ Source-checked
In plain English. 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.

What they found

216
people took part

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).

How the study worked

Who took parthealthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, psychotherapists, chiropractors, psychiatrists, and other practitioners) (n=216)
What they didParticipants received tapping and were measured before and after, without a separate comparison group.
Measured withSA-45, pain/emotional distress/cravings Likert scales

💡 Where this could help

If findings like these hold up in larger trials, the promise is simple: a low-cost, self-administered tool that could reach people struggling with other physical conditions who can't easily access traditional care — at home, between appointments, or where there aren't enough clinicians to go around.

🔬 What to study next

The natural next step: a head-to-head trial against an established treatment like CBT, and a randomized controlled design.

The full record

DesignOutcome study
Participants216 people
Populationhealthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, psychotherapists, chiropractors, psychiatrists, and other practitioners)
Outcome measuresSA-45, pain/emotional distress/cravings Likert scales
JournalIntegrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal
Year2010
LanguageEnglish
MethodEFT / tapping
Publication typeStudy / trial
Verification✓ Confirmed against the primary source

Read the original study →

Cite this study

APA

Church, D., & Brooks, A. (2010). The Effect of a Brief EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Self-Intervention on Anxiety, Depression, Pain and Cravings in Healthcare Workers. Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal.

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 · Depression · Burnout & Work Stress

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THE TAPPING EVIDENCE BASE Other Physical Conditions 216 participants WHAT THEY FOUND Symptom severity dropped 45 percent andsymptom breadth 40 percent (both p<.001)after a single 2-hour EFT… Outcome study · 216 participants Church · 2010 · evidence.thetappingsolution.com