EFT tapping for PTSD: three RCTs and a meta-analysis

Karatzias et al. 2011 — EFT vs EMDR

Karatzias T et al. A controlled comparison of the effectiveness and efficiency of two psychological therapies for posttraumatic stress disorder: eye movement desensitization and reprocessing vs. emotional freedom techniques. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 2011;199(6):372–378. (PMID: 21629014)

• Design. Head-to-head RCT comparing EFT and EMDR.
• Sample. 46 adults with PTSD (23 per arm).
• Finding. Both therapies produced significant and equivalent improvements in PTSD symptoms at post-treatment and follow-up.

Church et al. 2013 — veterans

Church D et al. Psychological trauma symptom improvement in veterans using emotional freedom techniques: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 2013;201(2):153–160. (PMID: 23364126)

• Design. RCT — EFT vs standard-of-care waitlist.
• Sample. 59 US veterans (EFT n=30, waitlist n=29).
• Finding. 90% of EFT participants no longer met the clinical PTSD criteria after treatment, vs. 4% in the waitlist (p ≤ 0.0001).

Sebastian & Nelms 2017 meta-analysis

Sebastian B, Nelms J. The effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Techniques in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: a meta-analysis. Explore (NY), 2017;13(1):16–25. (PMID: 27889444)

Pooled seven RCTs and reported a very large treatment effect for EFT on PTSD symptoms (weighted Cohen's d > 2.96 across studies). The authors concluded that EFT is sufficiently studied to be considered an evidence-based PTSD treatment.

Important caveats

• All of these studies used practitioner-delivered clinical EFT in structured 4–10 session protocols. None tested an app-only, self-applied format for trauma.
• PTSD treatment should be done with a qualified trauma-informed professional. Self-tapping on traumatic memories can sometimes destabilise people, particularly those with complex trauma.
• EFT does not replace evidence-based trauma therapies like trauma-focused CBT, EMDR, or prolonged exposure. It can be a complement, ideally with practitioner support.

Crisis resources

If you are experiencing distressing trauma symptoms, you are not alone and help is available.

• United States: Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741.
• United Kingdom: Call 116 123 (Samaritans).
• Outside the US/UK: findahelpline.com.

Put this into practice

Guides that turn this research into a session you can do today: