Emotional Freedom Techniques

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a form of counseling intervention that draws on various theories of alternative medicine including acupuncture, neuro-linguistic programming, energy medicine, and Thought Field Therapy (TFT). It is best known through Gary Craig's EFT Handbook, published in the late 1990s, and related books and workshops by a variety of teachers. EFT and similar techniques are often discussed under the umbrella term 'energy psychology'. Advocates claim that the technique may be used to treat a wide variety of physical and psychological disorders, and as a simple form of self-administered therapy. The Skeptical Inquirer describes the foundations of EFT as 'a hodgepodge of concepts derived from a variety of sources, the ancient Chinese philosophy of chi, which is thought to be the 'life force' that flows throughout the body.' The existence of this life force is 'not empirically supported'. EFT has no benefit as a therapy beyond the placebo effect or any known-effective psychological techniques that may be provided in addition to the purported 'energy' technique. It is generally characterized as pseudoscience and it has not garnered significant support in clinical psychology. During a typical EFT session, the person will focus on a specific issue while tapping on 'end points of the body's energy meridians'. EFT tapping exercises combine elements of cognitive restructuring and exposure techniques with acupoint stimulation.  The technique instructs individuals to tap on meridian endpoints of the body such as the top of the head, eye brows, under eyes, side of eyes, chin, collar bone, and under the arms. While tapping, they recite specific phrases that target an emotional component of a physical symptom.   According to the EFT manual, the procedure consists of the participant rating the emotional intensity of their reaction on a Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) (a Likert scale for subjective measures of distress, calibrated 0-10) then repeating an orienting affirmation while rubbing or tapping specific points on the body. Some practitioners incorporate eye movements or other tasks. The emotional intensity is then rescored and repeated until no changes are noted in the emotional intensity. Proponents of EFT and other similar treatments believe that tapping/stimulating acupuncture points provide the basis for significant improvement in psychological problems. However, the theory and mechanisms underlying the supposed effectiveness of EFT have 'no evidentiary support' 'in the entire history of the sciences of biology, anatomy, physiology, neurology, physics, or psychology.' Researchers have described the theoretical model for EFT as 'frankly bizarre' and 'pseudoscientific.' One review noted that one of the highest quality studies found no evidence that the location of tapping points made any difference, and attributed effects to well-known psychological mechanisms, including distraction and breathing therapy. An article in the Skeptical Inquirer argued that there is no plausible mechanism to explain how the specifics of EFT could add to its effectiveness, and they have been described as unfalsifiable and therefore pseudoscientific. Evidence has not been found for the existence of meridians. EFT has no useful effect as a therapy beyond the placebo effect or any known-effective psychological techniques that may be used with the purported 'energy' technique, but proponents of EFT have published material claiming otherwise. Their work, however, is flawed and hence unreliable: high-quality research has never confirmed that EFT is effective.