Lambrou, P., Pratt, G., Chevalier, G. · Journal of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine · 2005
A 30-minute energy psychology treatment showed reductions in trapezius muscle EMG, changes in ERG Theta wave activity, and changes in meridian electro-conductance; STAI scores were significantly lower even at a two-week follow-up for the claustrophobic group.
This tiny study tracked a whole battery of things a nervous system can't fake: muscle tension in the shoulders (EMG), heart rate, breathing rate, and the skin's electrical conductance. Seeing several of these physical measures shift alongside a real, two-week-lasting drop in claustrophobic anxiety is a rare case of a tapping study casting a wide physiological net rather than relying on any single measure.
If this pattern holds up in bigger groups, it points to a technique that people with specific phobias could learn in a single 30-minute session and then use entirely on their own whenever a triggering situation comes up, without needing a therapist present or ongoing exposure therapy.
With only four claustrophobic participants, the priority is repeating this multi-measure protocol (EMG, heart rate, respiration, skin conductance) in a much larger phobia sample, and testing whether the size of the physiological shift during the session predicts who still feels calmer weeks later. It would also be worth adding a modern portable biosensor so people could be measured during a real-world triggering situation, like an actual MRI machine or elevator, rather than only in the lab.
| Design | Biology / mechanism |
|---|---|
| Participants | 8 people |
| Population | four claustrophobic and four normal (control) individuals |
| Comparison group | normal (non-claustrophobic) individuals |
| Outcome measures | State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), ERG, EMG, heart rate, respiration rate, acupuncture meridian electro-conductance |
| Journal | Journal of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine |
| Year | 2005 |
| Language | English |
| Method | EFT / tapping |
| Publication type | Study / trial |
| Verification | ✓ Confirmed against the primary source |
Lambrou, P., Pratt, G., & Chevalier, G. (2005). Physiological and psychological effects of a mind/body therapy on claustrophobia. Journal of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine.
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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