The DOI matches its Crossref record; 37 of the 37 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
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 (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]
In the citing paper
“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]
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“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]
In the citing paper
“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]
In the citing paper
“Arousal in response to the traumatic script also decreases.183–186”
From Fear and the Defense Cascade (2015) · cites this paper as [186]
Citations
Cites
Salivary cortisol as a biomarker in stress research
Hellhammer, D. H., Wüst, S., & Kudielka, B. M. (2009) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2008.10.026 · Cited by 1,925
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Kirschbaum, C., & Hellhammer, D. H. (2008) · Neuropsychobiology · doi:10.1159/000118611 · Cited by 1,532
Cherkin, D. C., Sherman, K. J., Avins, A. L., Erro, J. H., Ichikawa, L., Barlow, W. E., Delaney, K. M., Hawkes, R. J., Hamilton, L., Pressman, A. R., et al. (2009) · Archives of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2009.65 · Cited by 440
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Depression gets old fast: do stress and depression accelerate cell aging?
Wolkowitz, O. M., Epel, E. S., Reus, V. I., & Mellon, S. H. (2010) · Depression and Anxiety · doi:10.1002/da.20686 · Cited by 298
Effects of guided imagery and music (GIM) therapy on mood and cortisol in healthy adults.
McKinney, C. H., Antoni, M. H., Kumar, M., Tims, F. C., & al, E. (1997) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037//0278-6133.16.4.390 · Cited by 263
Effects of guided imagery and music (GIM) therapy on mood and cortisol in healthy adults.
McKinney, C. H., Antoni, M. H., Kumar, M., Tims, F. C., & McCabe, P. M. (1997) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/0278-6133.16.4.390 · Cited by 263
A call to action: overcoming anxiety through active coping.
LeDoux, J. E., & Gorman, J. M. (2001) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.158.12.1953 · Cited by 238
Hypothalamus and amygdala response to acupuncture stimuli in carpal tunnel syndrome
Napadow, V., Kettner, N. W., Liu, J., Li, M., Kwong, K. K., Vangel, M. G., Makris, N., Audette, J. F., & Hui, K. K. S. (2007) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2006.12.003 · Cited by 214
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Research works printed but not linked: 3
- Baker, 2010, Emotional freedom techniques (EFT) reduces intense fears: A partial replication and extension of Wells, Polglase, Andrews, Carrington, Baker (2003)., Energy Psychol Theory Res Treat, 2, 13
- Dardik, 1996, The origin of disease and health, heart waves: The single solution to heart rate variability and ischemic preconditioning., Cycles, 46, 67
- Gallo, 2009, Energy psychology in rehabilitation: Origins, applications, and theory., Energy Psychol Theory Res Treat, 1, 57
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The Effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Therapy on Medical Imaging Process
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Xu, H., Soh, K. G., Yubbu, P., & Soh, K. G. (2026) · Complementary Therapies in Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2026.103421
Okutan, Ş., Kapıkıran, G., Cіcі, R., & Aktura, S. Ç. (2026) · Cancer Medicine · doi:10.1002/cam4.72307
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Metadata
- 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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