Efficacy of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) in Reducing Public Speaking Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Jones, S. J., Thornton, J. A., & Andrews, H. B. (2011). Efficacy of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) in reducing public speaking anxiety: A randomized controlled trial. Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 3(1), 19-32. doi: 10.9769/EPJ.2011.3.1.SJJ.JAT.HBA

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Location

Perth, Western Australia.

Aim

To determine whether EFT is effective compared to a wait-list control (WLC) group in reducing public speaking anxiety.

Method

Design
Randomised controlled trail (number of participants randomised to each group not stated).

Participants
A total of 36 volunteers with public speaking anxiety.

Outcome Measures

Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker (PRCS).
Personal Report of Communication Apprehension-24B (part 1: general measure of communication apprehension; part 2: measure of public speaking anxiety).
Self-Report Questionnaire.
Subjective Units of Distress Scale.
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.
Timed Behavior Checklist (TBCL).

Procedure

Pre-post measures for all groups.
Screening: PRCS, PRCA-24B.
Pre-intervention: expectation of overcoming PSA.
During intervention: SUDS.
Post-intervention: PRCS, PRCA-24B, STAI, TBCL.

Participants randomised by S. S. Jones (no method reported).

EFT:
Delivered by 1 of 3 psychologists working in counselling and trained in EFT. SUD scores recorded at 0, 15, 30, and 45 minutes during EFT. Post-intervention completion of PSA: PRCS, PRCA-24B (1 & 2), and STAI. Participants then delivered a 4-minute speech in front of a small group, video recorded, which was later scored with TBCL by independent observers blinded to treatment conditions.

WLC:
Participants attended counselling service by appointment and completed outcome measures, then (without receiving any interventions).
Analyses
Pre-post intervention: PRCA and PRCA-24B (1 & 2): ANOVAs (comparison of EFT and WLC).

Post-intervention: PRCS, PRCA-24B (1 & 2), STAI, and TBCL: ANOVAs (comparison of EFT and WLC) on post-intervention measures only.

WLC: comparison of scores (as control and after receiving EFT): within-groups ANOVA (comparison of WLC using Bonferroni adjustment).

During EFT intervention: SUDS: 4 (time: 0, 15, 30, & 45 minute) x 2 (group: EFT & WLC) ANOVA.

Results

Pre-post intervention (PRCS and PRCA-24B [1 & 2])
Significant difference between groups with EFT increasing public speaking confidence (p = 0.012; PRCS) and decreasing public speaking anxiety (PRCA-24B [part 2; p = 0.030]) but not communication apprehension (PRCA-24B [part 1; p = 0.293]).

Post-intervention (PRCS, PRCA-24B [1 & 2], STAI, and TBCL)
Significant difference between groups with EFT decreasing public speaking anxiety (state anxiety; p < 0.001) but non-significant trait anxiety (p = 0.390). No significant differences between groups on TBCL (p = 0.773). WLC (as control and after receiving EFT) PRCA-24B (1 & 2) and STAI (State) analysed together, with public speaking anxiety significantly lower (p < 0.002) for WLC participants after receiving EFT. PRCS and STAI: Trait analysed separately, with public speaking confidence significantly increasing (p = 0005) along with a significant decrease (p = 0.011) in general anxiety. During intervention (SUDS) Significant (p < 0.001) main effect of time: decreased SUD scores from start to end of EFT. No significant differences in SUD scores between groups (p = 0.241) or any significant interactions between group allocation and SUD scores during EFT (p = 0.760).