The Effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on Stress Biochemistry: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Abstract
This study examined the changes in cortisol levels and psychological distress symptoms of 83 nonclinical subjects receiving a single hour long intervention. Subjects were randomly assigned to either an emotional freedom technique (EFT) group, a psychotherapy group receiving a supportive interviews (SI), or a no treatment (NT) group. Salivary cortisol assays were performed immediately before and 30 minutes after the intervention. Psychological distress symptoms were assessed using the symptom assessment-45. The EFT group showed statistically significant improvements in anxiety (-58.34%, p < 0.05), depression (-49.33%, p < 0.002), the overall severity of symptoms (-50.5%, p < 0.001), and symptom breadth (-41.93%, p < 0.001). The EFT group experienced a significant decrease in cortisol level (-24.39%; SE, 2.62) compared with the decrease observed in the SI (-14.25%; SE, 2.61) and NT (-14.44%; SE, 2.67) groups (p < 0.03). The decrease in cortisol levels in the EFT group mirrored the observed improvement in psychological distress.
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Breathing interventions-including controlled breathing, slow-breathing techniques, coherence breathing, brahmari breathing, and breathing at one's resonant frequency-utilize a decrease in respiratory rate, prolonged expiration, breathing against airway resistance, or vibration of the airway to reduce physiological arousal.
“Breathing interventions—including controlled breathing, slow-breathing techniques (from yoga and other Eastern disciplines), coherence breathing, brahmari breathing (“bee breath,” also from yoga), and breathing at ones resonant frequency—utilize a decrease in respiratory rate, prolonged expiration (pranayama), breathing against airway resistance, or vibration of the airway to reduce physiological”
From Fear and the Defense Cascade (2015) · cites this paper as [145]
Breathing interventions using resistance or vibrations likely engage a different mechanism: peripheral activation of vagal lung afferents.
“The other dimensions of breathing interventions—for example, the use of resistance or vibrations—are likely to engage a different mechanism, the peripheral activation of vagal lung afferents.145,147”
From Fear and the Defense Cascade (2015) · cites this paper as [145]
Memories of past trauma can activate the body's arousal systems, resulting in arousal, the precondition of activating the defense cascade.
“Since memories of past trauma can activate the body’s arousal systems—resulting in arousal, the precondition of activating the defense cascade”
From Fear and the Defense Cascade (2015) · cites this paper as [186]
When traumatic memories are successfully processed, the physiological markers of arousal decrease.
“When traumatic memories are successfully processed, the physiological markers of arousal likewise decrease.160,182–186”
From Fear and the Defense Cascade (2015) · cites this paper as [186]
Arousal in response to the traumatic script decreases following EMDR.
“Arousal in response to the traumatic script also decreases.183–186”
From Fear and the Defense Cascade (2015) · cites this paper as [186]
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- Authors
- Church, D., Yount, G., & Brooks, A. J.
- Affiliations
- Fetal Medicine Foundation (GB)
- California Pacific Medical Center (US)
- University of Arizona (US)
- Corresponding author
- Church, Dawson
- Venue
- Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease
- Published
- 2012-10
- Volume
- 200
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 891-896
- ISSN
- 0022-3018 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2041489646
- Cited by
- 115
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 3.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Keywords
- Emotional Freedom Technique, salivary cortisol, psychological distress, anxiety, depression
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Anxiety, Depression, Emotions, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Male, Middle Aged, Psychotherapy, Saliva, Stress, Psychological
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