Effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Techniques in Alleviating Symptoms Associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Energy psychology, particularly emotional freedom techniques (EFT), has gained attention as a non-pharmacological treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of EFT in alleviating PTSD symptoms. This meta-analysis follows PRISMA guidelines. We conducted a literature search on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, Airiti Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov for relevant studies published before December 31, 2024. The meta-analysis included 13 studies involving 621 patients. Our findings showed that EFT significantly improved PTSD symptoms compared to the baseline (standardized mean difference [SMD]: − 0.901; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: − 1.130– − 0.671; Hedge's g: −0.865) and was more effective than the control group (SMD: − 2.106; 95% CI: − 2.759– − 1.452; Hedge's g: −2.062). Furthermore, anxiety (SMD: − 0.591; 95% CI: − 0.726– − 0.456; Hedge's g: −0.567) and depression (SMD: − 0.516; 95% CI: − 0.654– − 0.377; Hedge's g: −0.495) scores decreased significantly compared to the baseline. Notably, these treatment effects were sustained for up to three months for PTSD severity (SMD: − 0.757; 95% CI: − 0.967– − 0.547; Hedge's g: −0.723), anxiety (SMD: − 0.522; 95% CI: − 0.683– − 0.361; Hedge's g: −0.498), and depression (SMD: − 0.420; 95% CI: − 0.542– − 0.298; Hedge's g: −0.402). The subgroup analysis of veterans revealed that EFT effectively reduced PTSD symptoms (SMD: − 1.159; 95% CI: − 1.441– − 0.877; Hedge's g: −1.102), anxiety (SMD: − 0.715; 95% CI: − 0.943– − 0.487; Hedge's g: -0.676), and depression (SMD: − 0.627; 95% CI: − 0.803– − 0.451; Hedge's g: −0.597). EFT effectively treated PTSD and reduced comorbid symptoms, including anxiety and depression. Moreover, its therapeutic effect could be applied in veteran populations and sustained for up to three months.