The efficacy of acupoint stimulation in the treatment of psychological distress: A meta-analysis

Gilomen, Sandro Alfred; Lee, Christopher W.

doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2015.03.012

Cited by 23 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Reports on the outcomes of Energy Psychology methods (e.g., Feinstein, 2012) have been both criticized and defended; see, for example, critical accounts by Gaudiano, Brown, and Miller (2012) and Bakker (2013) and rebuttals of these by Sise, Leskowitz, Stein, and Tranguch (2014) and Feinstein (2014). One meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials of EFT published in peer-reviewed journals found that EFT has a therapeutic effect (Gilomen & Lee, 2015), and another meta-analysis of 14 trials meeting criteria developed by the American Psychological Association's Division 12 Task Force on Empirically Validated Treatments found an overall effect size of 1.23 (Clond, 2016). EFT and related methods of Energy Psychology have been found compatible with established psychotherapeutic frameworks (Mason, 2012), including cognitive and behavioral (Benor, 2014) as well as psychoanalytic (Mollon, 2008(Mollon, , 2014.…”

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confidence: 99%

EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Remediates PTSD and Psychological Symptoms in Veterans: A Randomized Controlled Replication Trial

Geronilla¹,

Minewiser²,

Mollon³

et al. 2016

EPJ

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Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common condition among veterans and is often regarded as treatment-resistant. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) combines brief exposure therapy with acupressure and has demonstrated efficacy for PTSD in other trials and meta-analyses. This study recruited 58 veterans who scored 50 or greater on the military PTSD checklist (PCL-M), indicating clinical symptom levels. Participants were randomized into a Treatment As Usual (TAU) wait-list group (n = 26) and an experimental group (n = 32), which received six one-hour EFT sessions in addition to TAU. The mean pretreatment PCL-M score of participants was 66 ± 7.4, with no significant difference between groups. The EFT group demonstrated a significant reduction in PCL-M score from 65 ± 8.1 to 34 ± 10.3 (p < 0.001), while subjects in the TAU group showed no significant change. The TAU group was then treated with EFT and groups were combined for analysis using linear mixed effects modeling. In the combined EFT group, posttreatment PCL-M scores declined to a mean of 34 (-52%, p < 0.001). Participant gains were maintained at three and six-month follow-up, with mean six-month PCL-M scores of 34 (p < 0.001). Psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression also declined significantly, as did physiological markers of insomnia and pain. An effect size of Cohen's d = 3.44 indicates a large treatment effect. These results replicate those obtained in an earlier investigation, and indicate that EFT is an evidence-based practice that is highly effective at reducing symptom severity in veterans with PTSD.

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Remediates PTSD and Psychological Symptoms in Veterans: A Randomized Controlled Replication Trial

Geronilla¹,

Minewiser²,

Mollon³

et al. 2016

EPJ

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“…65 The somatic intervention used in EFT and investigated in this study (i.e., the stimulation of acupoints) has received substantial investigation. 31,61 For example, when acupoint tapping was introduced to exposure therapy protocols, the extinction of fear memories was accelerated. 66 Furthermore, biophysical markers indicating a reduction in stress after acupoint tapping have included decreased expression of genes implicated in the stress response, 67 normalization of brainwave patterns, 68,69 and hormonal changes associated with stress reduction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent meta-analysis indicated that interventions using acupoint stimulation had a moderate effect size (Hedge's g = -0.66 95% CI [-0.99, -0.33]) in reducing symptoms. 61 In EFT, the client stimulates the protocol-identified acupoints by tapping on them. Preliminary studies have suggested that tapping and other alternative ways of stimulating acupuncture points to be as effective as acupuncture needling.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Randomized Controlled Comparison of Emotional Freedom Technique and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to Reduce Adolescent Anxiety: A Pilot Study

Gaesser

Karan

2017

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

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“…Elevated PTSD symptoms, even if subclinical, have been shown to be a risk factor for a later diagnosis of PTSD as well as depression, alcohol abuse, and health problems [62,63]. Emotion Freedom Techniques have been employed as a pre-emptive measure to treat symptoms early, enhance resiliency, and arrest the progression of the diagnosis.…”

Section: The Clinical Eft Protocolmentioning

confidence: 99%

Guidelines for the Treatment of PTSD Using Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques)

Church¹,

Stapleton

Mollon³

et al. 2018

Healthcare

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Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) is an evidence-based method that combines acupressure with elements drawn from cognitive and exposure therapies. The approach has been validated in more than 100 clinical trials. Its efficacy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been investigated in a variety of demographic groups including war veterans, victims of sexual violence, the spouses of PTSD sufferers, motor accident survivors, prisoners, hospital patients, adolescents, and survivors of natural and human-caused disasters. Meta-analyses of EFT for anxiety, depression, and PTSD indicate treatment effects that exceed those of both psychopharmacology and conventional psychotherapy. Studies of EFT in the treatment of PTSD show that (a) time frames for successful treatment generally range from four to 10 sessions; (b) group therapy sessions are effective; (c) comorbid conditions such as anxiety and depression improve simultaneously; (d) the risk of adverse events is low; (e) treatment produces physiological as well as psychological improvements; (f) patient gains persist over time; (g) the approach is cost-effective; (h) biomarkers such as stress hormones and genes are regulated; and (i) the method can be adapted to online and telemedicine applications. This paper recommends guidelines for the use of EFT in treating PTSD derived from the literature and a detailed practitioner survey. It has been reviewed by the major institutions providing training or supporting research in the method. The guidelines recommend a stepped-care model, with five treatment sessions for subclinical PTSD, 10 sessions for PTSD, and escalation to intensive psychotherapy or psychopharmacology or both for nonresponsive patients and those with developmental trauma. Group therapy, social support, apps, and online and telemedicine methods also contribute to a successful treatment plan.

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The efficacy of acupoint stimulation in the treatment of psychological distress: A meta-analysis

Abstract: Background and objectives: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a type of therapy

Cited by 23 publications

References 43 publications

EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Remediates PTSD and Psychological Symptoms in Veterans: A Randomized Controlled Replication Trial

EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Remediates PTSD and Psychological Symptoms in Veterans: A Randomized Controlled Replication Trial

A Randomized Controlled Comparison of Emotional Freedom Technique and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to Reduce Adolescent Anxiety: A Pilot Study

Guidelines for the Treatment of PTSD Using Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques)

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