The Tapping Evidence Base
Anxiety · Depression · Sleep & Insomnia

Effect of emotional freedom techniques on anxiety, depression and insomnia among COVID-19 patients

Tambunan, M., Suwarni, N., Selviana, S. · International Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS) · 2023

Controlled trial👥 42 participantsPreliminary✓ Source-checked📍 Indonesia
In plain English. Forty-two people isolating with confirmed COVID-19 in Indonesia tried EFT to help with the anxiety, low mood, and sleeplessness that came with the diagnosis. All three measures improved significantly. This was a quasi-experimental study in a government isolation facility, so real-world conditions may have limited the rigor of the design.

What they found

42
people took part

EFT therapy was effective in reducing anxiety, depression, and insomnia scores among people confirmed positive for COVID-19 (p-value < 0.05).

How the study worked

Who took partpeople in COVID-19 isolation in Pontianak City, Indonesia (n=42)
What they didIn a controlled trial, a tapping group was compared against a separate comparison group.
Measured withanxiety, depression, and insomnia questionnaire

💡 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

DesignControlled trial
Participants42 people
Populationpeople in COVID-19 isolation in Pontianak City, Indonesia
Outcome measuresanxiety, depression, and insomnia questionnaire
JournalInternational Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS)
Year2023
CountryIndonesia
LanguageEnglish
MethodEFT / tapping
Publication typeStudy / trial
Verification✓ Confirmed against the primary source

Read the original study →

Cite this study

APA

Tambunan, M., Suwarni, N., & Selviana, S. (2023). Effect of emotional freedom techniques on anxiety, depression and insomnia among COVID-19 patients. International Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS). https://doi.org/10.11591/ijphs.v12i2.22403

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 · Sleep & Insomnia

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THE TAPPING EVIDENCE BASE Anxiety 42 participants WHAT THEY FOUND EFT therapy was effective in reducinganxiety, depression, and insomnia scoresamong people confirmed positive for… Controlled trial · 42 participants Tambunan · 2023 · evidence.thetappingsolution.com