Pilot study of emotional freedom techniques, wholistic hybrid derived from...

OBJECTIVE: This study explored test anxiety benefits of wholistic hybrid derived from eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and Emotional Freedom Techniques (WHEE), Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFTs), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). PARTICIPANTS: Canadian university students with severe or moderate test anxiety participated. METHODS: A controlled trial of WHEE (n = 5), EFT (n = 5), and CBT (n = 5) was conducted. Standardized anxiety measures included the Test Anxiety Inventory and Hopkins Symptom Checklist-21. RESULTS: Despite small sample size, significant reductions in test anxiety were found for all three treatments. In only two sessions, WHEE and EFT achieved the same benefits as CBT did in five sessions. Participants reported high satisfaction with all treatments. Emotional freedom techniques and WHEE participants successfully transferred their self-treatment skills to other stressful areas of their lives. CONCLUSIONS: Both WHEE and EFT show promise as feasible treatments for test anxiety.

Explore (NY). 2009 Nov-Dec;5(6):338-40. Benor DJ, Ledger K, Toussaint L, Hett G, Zaccaro D. Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology, Haverford, PA, USA.