The Tapping Evidence Base
PTSD & Trauma

Efficacy of Two Evidence-Based Therapies, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for the Treatment of Gender Violence in the Congo: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Nemiro, A., Papworth, S. · Energy Psychology Journal · 2015

Randomized trial👥 50 participants⚖️ vs. CBT (active comparator)Moderate rigor📍 Democratic Republic of Congo
In plain English. 50 women who survived gender-based violence during conflict in the Congo were randomly assigned to tapping or CBT. Both groups saw real improvements in trauma symptoms that held up six months later. We located this study through search summaries rather than reading the full paper ourselves, so treat the specifics as provisional.

What they found

50
people took part

Both the EFT and CBT groups showed significant improvement in PTSD symptoms and general mental health, maintained at 6-month follow-up.

How the study worked

Who took partinternally displaced women who survived sexual and gender-based violence (n=50)
What they didIn a randomized controlled trial, participants were randomly assigned to receive tapping or a comparison condition, then measured and compared.
Compared withCBT (active comparator)
Measured withHarvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25)

💡 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 PTSD & trauma 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: longer-term follow-up to see how durable the benefit is, and an active ('sham tapping') control to isolate what's doing the work.

The full record

DesignRandomized trial
Participants50 people
Populationinternally displaced women who survived sexual and gender-based violence
Comparison groupCBT (active comparator)
Outcome measuresHarvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25)
JournalEnergy Psychology Journal
Year2015
CountryDemocratic Republic of Congo
LanguageEnglish
MethodEFT / tapping
Publication typeStudy / trial
VerificationTranscribed from a peer-reviewed source; pending independent confirmation

Read the original study →

Cite this study

APA

Nemiro, A., & Papworth, S. (2015). Efficacy of Two Evidence-Based Therapies, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for the Treatment of Gender Violence in the Congo: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Energy Psychology Journal. https://doi.org/10.9769/EPJ.2015.7.2.AN

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 50 participants WHAT THEY FOUND Both the EFT and CBT groups showedsignificant improvement in PTSD symptoms andgeneral mental health, maintained at… Randomized trial · 50 participants Nemiro · 2015 · evidence.thetappingsolution.com