Patricia Carrington, Ph.D.

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA

This study explored the effectiveness of a meridian-based procedure, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and a standardized form of Diaphragmatic Breathing (DB) in reducing specific phobias of small animals under laboratory-controlled conditions.

Randomly assigned participants were treated individually for 30 minutes with EFT (n = 18) or the comparison condition, Diaphragmatic Breathing (DB) (n = 17). ANOVAS revealed that both groups improved significantly over baseline but that EFT produced significantly greater improvement than did DB behaviorally and on three self-report measures, but not on pulse rate.

The greater improvement for EFT was maintained, and possibly enhanced, at 6 - 9 months follow-up on the behavioral measure.

These findings suggest that a single treatment session using EFT or DB to reduce specific phobias can produce valid behavioral and subjective effects. Some limitations of the study are also noted and clarifying research suggested.