New Research Comparing EFT to EMDR

A Controlled Comparison of the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Two Psychological Therapies for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) vs. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)

The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease (2011), 199(6), p 372-378.

Abstract

The present study reports on the first ever controlled comparison between eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and emotional freedom techniques (EFT) for post-traumatic stress disorder. A total of 46 participants were randomized to either EMDR (n = 23) or EFT (n = 23). The participants were assessed at baseline and then reassessed after an 8-week waiting period. Two further blind assessments were conducted at post-treatment and 3-months follow-up. Overall, the results indicated that both interventions produced significant therapeutic gains at post-treatment and follow-up in an equal number of sessions. Similar treatment effect sizes were observed in both treatment groups. Regarding clinical significant changes, a slightly higher proportion of patients in the EMDR group produced substantial clinical changes compared with the EFT group. Given the speculative nature of the theoretical basis of EFT, a dismantling study on the active ingredients of EFT should be subject to future research.