The effect of a brief emotional freedom techniques self-intervention on anxiety, depression, pain, and cravings in health care workers.

Church D; Brooks AJ

This study examined whether self-intervention with Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), a brief exposure therapy that combines a cognitive and a somatic element, had an effect on health care workers' psychological distress symptoms. The participants were 216 attendees at 5 professional conferences over a span of 1 year. Psychological distress, as measured by the Symptom Assessment 45 (SA-45), and self-rated pain, emotional distress, and craving were assessed before and after 2 hours of self-applied EFT by using a within-subjects design. A 90-day follow-up was completed by 53% of the sample, with 61% reporting using EFT subsequent to the workshop. Significant improvements were found on all distress subscales and ratings of pain, emotional distress, and cravings at posttest (P<.001). Gains were maintained at follow-up for most SA-45 scales. The severity of psychological symptoms was reduced (-45%, P<.001) as well as the breadth (-40%, P<.001), with significant gains maintained at follow-up. Greater subsequent EFT use correlated with a greater decrease in symptom severity at follow-up (P<.034, r-.199), but not in breadth of symptoms (P<.0117, r=.148). EFT provided an immediate effect on psychological distress, pain, and cravings, which was replicated across multiple conferences and health care provider samples.

Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal, 2010, Vol 9, Issue 5, p40

1546-993X

Academic Journal