EFT has been proven to help in the process of overcoming stress and related symptoms like trouble sleeping, fatigue and panic. What do scientific studies say about the effectiveness of EFT for reducing stress and anxiety? Over the past several decades many studies have been conducted in an attempt to validate the significance of EFT tapping and similar techniques and to determine how they might work.

A 2016 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease found that among 14 different studies emotional freedom technique treatment led to a significant decrease in anxiety scores among adults experiencing psychological distress. There’s some evidence that EFT may work by helping to decrease cortisol levels, one of the primary “stress hormones” that can contribute to many ailments when it stays chronically elevated.

According to a 2014 review published in Medical Acupuncture, “Clinical EFT has been shown to regulate stress hormones and limbic function and to improve various neurologic markers of general health. The epigenetic effects of EFT include upregulation of immunity genes and downregulation of inflammation genes.” Researchers concluded that at least six well-controlled studies have indicated that EFT works differently than placebo.

Another 2012 study also published in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease found that when subjects were randomly assigned to either an Emotional Freedom Technique group, a psychotherapy group, or a no-treatment group, the group receiving EFT treatments decreases in cortisol levels and a number of improvements in psychological distress markers.

EFT treatment lasted 30 minutes, and salivary cortisol was measured before and again 30 minutes after the intervention. Results showed that the EFT group experienced significant improvements in not only cortisol levels but also scores for anxiety, depression and overall severity of symptoms.

In studies, EFT has shown efficacy in treating post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related symptoms. Because it uses positive affirmations, EFT may work similarly to traditional “talk therapy” to some extent, but be more effective for certain people because it engages both the mind and body.

A 2013 longitudinal analysis that tested the effects of EFT training on veterans dealing with PTSD found that after three treatment sessions 60 percent of the participants no longer met the PTSD clinical criteria, and after six sessions this number went up to 86 percent. The majority of these improvements lasted for at least 3 to 6 months.

A number of studies have found that EFT can help manage symptoms in sufferers of tension headaches, those with fibromyalgia, people dealing with chronic injuries, and many others suffering from pain. One 2013 randomized controlled trial found that EFT training helped reduce frequency and severity of headaches while also improving other lifestyle parameters.

A study of 86 women with fibromyalgia found that after completion of an 8-week EFT training program, statistically significant improvements were observed in the group assigned to EFT training compared to those assigned to a waiting list group. Researchers found improvements associated with EFT in variables including pain, anxiety, depression, vitality, social function, mental health, performance problems involving work or other activities, and psychological processes like frequent rumination, magnification and helplessness. The EFT group also showed significant increases in activity level.

2009 study published in Open Sports Sciences that investigated the effects of Emotional Freedom Techniques as part of a psychophysiological intervention for male and female basketball players found that EFT treatment helped to improve athletic performance. The group of athletes receiving EFT treatment for 15 minutes was compared to a performance-matched control group that received a placebo intervention.

Researchers measured performance by observing free throw success and vertical jump heights. Following treatment, they found a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of free throw performance. There was no difference observed between treatment groups in jump height. The difference between groups was attributed to EFT helping with concentration and possibly performance anxiety/stress.

Another study found similar results in soccer players, who showed significant improvements in goal-scoring abilities following intervention with EFT. Other research has also shown that EFT tapping may help improve mental conditioning related to sports performance, including boosting confidence and reducing performance anxiety.

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