Summary: This randomized controlled trial tested whether a single brief online Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) session could reduce stress, anxiety, and burnout in nurses treating COVID-19 patients, comparing an intervention group (n=35) to a no-treatment control group (n=37) at a Turkish university hospital. The intervention group received one guided online group EFT session, while the control group received no treatment.
Nurses in the EFT group showed highly significant reductions in stress, anxiety, and burnout (all p<.001), while the control group showed no significant change on any measure. The authors conclude that even a single online group EFT session can meaningfully reduce stress, anxiety, and burnout among nurses caring for COVID-19 patients.
Citation and link: Dincer, B., & Inangil, D. (2021). The effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on nurses' stress, anxiety, and burnout levels during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial. Explore (NY), 17(2), 109–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2020.11.012