The Tapping Evidence Base
Anxiety · Depression · Trauma (other) · Multiple Conditions

Can Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) be effective in the treatment of emotional conditions? Results of a service evaluation in Sandwell

Stewart, A., Boath, E., Carryer, A., Walton, I., Hill, L. · Journal of Psychological Therapies in Primary Care · 2013

Outcome study👥 39 participantsPreliminary✓ Source-checked📍 United Kingdom
In plain English. In a real UK National Health Service clinic, 39 clients started and 31 completed a course of EFT for a range of emotional issues including anxiety, depression, and anger. Their overall psychological distress dropped from a moderately severe level down into the normal range, and nearly every single client improved. This is valuable because it's real-world NHS service data, not a lab study, though there was no control group and higher-quality larger studies are still needed.

What they found

39
people took part

CORE-10 scores improved from a mean of 20.16 (moderate-severe) at start to 8.71 (normal) at end (p<0.001), with statistically and clinically significant improvements across all measures except one client.

How the study worked

Who took partclients accessing a dedicated NHS EFT service in Sandwell, West Midlands, for a range of emotional conditions (n=39)
What they didParticipants received tapping and were measured before and after, without a separate comparison group.
Measured withCORE-10, Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)

💡 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 anxiety 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 larger sample to confirm the effect.

The full record

DesignOutcome study
Participants39 people
Populationclients accessing a dedicated NHS EFT service in Sandwell, West Midlands, for a range of emotional conditions
Outcome measuresCORE-10, Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)
JournalJournal of Psychological Therapies in Primary Care
Year2013
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
MethodEFT / tapping
Publication typeStudy / trial
Verification✓ Confirmed against the primary source

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Cite this study

APA

Stewart, A., Boath, E., Carryer, A., Walton, I., & Hill, L. (2013). Can Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) be effective in the treatment of emotional conditions? Results of a service evaluation in Sandwell. Journal of Psychological Therapies in Primary Care.

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 Anxiety · Depression · Trauma (other)

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THE TAPPING EVIDENCE BASE Anxiety 39 participants WHAT THEY FOUND CORE-10 scores improved from a mean of 20.16(moderate-severe) at start to 8.71 (normal)at end (p<0.001), with… Outcome study · 39 participants Stewart · 2013 · evidence.thetappingsolution.com