Cited by 115Stress Responses and CortisolPsychotherapy Techniques and ApplicationsPsychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

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The Effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on Stress Biochemistry: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Church, Dawson, Yount, Garret, Brooks, Audrey J.·2012·Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease

DOI 10.1097/nmd.0b013e31826b9fc1

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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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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
ORCID: Church, Dawson
Yount, Garret
Brooks, Audrey J.
Venue: Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published: 2012-10
Volume: 200
Issue: 10
Pages: 891-896
ISSN: 0022-3018 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1097/nmd.0b013e31826b9fc1
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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The Effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on Stress Biochemistry: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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