The Tapping Evidence Base
Phobias · Other Physical Conditions

Thought field therapy for blood-injection-injury phobia: A pilot study

Darby, D., Hartung, J. · Energy Psychology Journal · 2012

Outcome study👥 20 participants⚖️ vs. own-control (pre/post)Preliminary✓ Source-checked
In plain English. 20 people with a fear of needles tried a single hour of Thought Field Therapy and reported meaningful improvement that held up a month later. There was no separate untreated comparison group, so it's an early pilot rather than definitive proof, though the authors call for a full randomized trial.

What they found

20
people took part

Significant improvement in symptoms was noted from pre- to posttest and at 1-month follow-up after a single 1-hour TFT session.

How the study worked

Who took partneedle-phobic persons, serving as their own controls (n=20)
What they didParticipants received tapping and were measured before and after.
Compared withown-control (pre/post)
Measured withFear Schedule Survey, Likert scale

💡 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 phobias 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 larger sample to confirm the effect, and a randomized controlled design.

The full record

DesignOutcome study
Participants20 people
Populationneedle-phobic persons, serving as their own controls
Comparison groupown-control (pre/post)
Outcome measuresFear Schedule Survey, Likert scale
JournalEnergy Psychology Journal
Year2012
LanguageEnglish
MethodThought Field Therapy (related tapping method)
Publication typeStudy / trial
Verification✓ Confirmed against the primary source

Read the original study →

Cite this study

APA

Darby, D., & Hartung, J. (2012). Thought field therapy for blood-injection-injury phobia: A pilot study. Energy Psychology 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 Phobias · Other Physical Conditions

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THE TAPPING EVIDENCE BASE Phobias 20 participants WHAT THEY FOUND Significant improvement in symptoms wasnoted from pre- to posttest and at 1-monthfollow-up after a single 1-hour… Outcome study · 20 participants Darby · 2012 · evidence.thetappingsolution.com