A study by Ghaderi, Nazari and Shaygannejad, published in the Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research explored the effects of EFT on fatigue in women with multiple sclerosis. Fatigue is one of the many symptoms that people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience. It has a tremendous impact on quality of life, so treatments to address it are important. In the present study, women in the tapping group had less fatigue than those in a sham tapping comparison group. These results add to the growing body of evidence supporting EFT for physical as well as psychological issues. Indeed, EFT helps reduce fatigue in women with MS.

Background

One symptom of multiple sclerosis is fatigue, which can be chronic and debilitating. About 2.8 million people around the world have MS, including as many as one million in the US alone. MS prevalence has increased in every world region since 2013; females are twice as likely to be afflicted as males. Multiple sclerosis usually presents at a highly productive stage of life when people are planning families and building careers, and thus can have a significant impact on affected individuals, their families and society. A growing arsenal of treatments offers opportunities to reduce disability¹ and extend survival² of people with MS; however, a cure is still lacking and the etiology of the disease remains unknown.

The study setup

Researchers from the MS Clinic of Ayatollah Kashani Hospital in Isfahan, Iran randomized 50 women with MS into two groups. Twenty-five women received 30 minute sessions of EFT twice a week for four weeks, while the control group received two group sessions of tapping on sham (false) points for the same period. The women completed the Fatigue Severity Scale before, immediately after and 4 weeks after the intervention.

Study results: EFT helps reduce fatigue

There was a significant reduction in fatigue in the EFT group compared to the sham group, both immediately after and at the 4-week followup, p<.001. The researchers concluded: “It seems that EFT is effective in diminishing fatigue among patients with MS, and is recommended as a convenient and safe non-medicament strategy for self-management of fatigue.”

Why this study matters

Note that both the EFT and the sham/control groups were active tapping groups. Had the researchers used a standard of care or a wait-list control, the difference between groups would likely have been larger and more significant. This study also shows that tapping acupoints is an important component of EFT. Some critics have challenged this idea. Meridian tapping is unique among psychotherapies in relieving both psychological and physiological symptoms, shedding light on the mind-body connection.

Professional Training in Tapping

Are you a medical professional looking to add energy psychology skills to your clinical practice in order to help patients like these? ACEP offers training in EFT and Comprehensive Energy Psychology for medical professionals. To learn more, check out our training calendar and certification programs.

Ghaderi, Z., Nazari, F., & Shaygannejad, V. (2021). The Effect of Emotional Freedom Technique on Fatigue among Women with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 26(6), 531–536.  https://doi.org/10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_188_19

Authors
 

John Freedom, CEHP, serves as the chair of ACEP’s research committee, on the Board of Trustees of EFT International, and as executive director of FREA: Finding Recovery and Empowerment from Abuse.  The author of Heal Yourself with Emotional Freedom Technique, he leads trainings and events throughout the US and in Europe.

Sarah Murphy is a licensed professional counselor and nationally certified counselor with more than 15 years of clinical experience. She is Communications Committee Chair for ACEP and serves on its board. She is in private practice and is staff therapist for Unite for HER. 

Photo by Raamin ka on Unsplash