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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 the 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.

What they found

50
50 women who survived gender-based violence during conflict in the Congo were randomly assigned to tapping or CBT.

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 part internally displaced women who survived sexual and gender-based violence (n=50)
What they did In a randomized controlled trial, participants were randomly assigned to receive tapping or a comparison condition, then measured and compared.
Compared with CBT (active comparator)
Measured with Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25)

The full record

DesignRandomized trial
Participants50 people
Populationinternally displaced women who survived sexual and gender-based violence
Comparison groupCBT (active comparator)
Effect sizeHedges' g = 0.13 (95% CI -0.42 to 0.67) — on PTSD symptoms (HTQ), EFT vs an active CBT comparator (between-group), post-intervention; NOT statistically significant (p=0.65). Source: Stapleton et al. 2023 recomputation (Table 4). Note: an oft-cited d=2.29 for this study is the EFT arm's WITHIN-group pre-post change, not a controlled comparison.
Outcome measuresHarvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25)
JournalEnergy Psychology Journal
Year2015
CountryDemocratic Republic of the 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

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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