Summary: This quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) as a tapping therapy for reducing state and trait anxiety among female university students in Pakistan. The study followed a quasi-experimental design, conducted at International Islamic University, Islamabad, from October to December 2018. A total of 70 female students, aged 18 to 25, were selected through convenience sampling. Participants completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before and after the intervention to measure changes in anxiety levels.
The EFT intervention consisted of three structured group sessions, each lasting approximately 46 minutes. During these sessions, students were guided through standard EFT protocols, which involved tapping on specific meridian points while focusing on their anxiety-related thoughts. The technique required participants to rate their anxiety levels, tap on designated points while repeating a cognitive statement, and reassess their distress levels after each round.
For data analysis, researchers used paired sample t-tests in SPSS 23, which revealed statistically significant reductions in both state and trait anxiety (p < .001). The findings suggest that EFT can be an effective non-pharmacological intervention for managing exam-related stress in university students.
Citation and Link: Ali, S. A.-e.-Z., & Loona, M. I. (2019). Effectiveness of tapping therapy for the treatment of anxiety among university students. Pakistan Journal of Physiology, 15(2), 80-83. https://pjp.pps.org.pk/index.php/PJP/article/view/1