The impact of emotional freedom techniques on anxiety, depression, and anticipatory grief in people with cancer: A meta-analysis and systematic review
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Issued Date
2025-05-01
Resource Type
ISSN
00223999
eISSN
18791360
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-86000596930
Journal Title
Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume
192
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Journal of Psychosomatic Research Vol.192 (2025)
Suggested Citation
Zheng D., Lin X., Gao X., Wang L., Zhu M. The impact of emotional freedom techniques on anxiety, depression, and anticipatory grief in people with cancer: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Journal of Psychosomatic Research Vol.192 (2025). doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2025.112088 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/106792
Title
The impact of emotional freedom techniques on anxiety, depression, and anticipatory grief in people with cancer: A meta-analysis and systematic review
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Objective: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a self-healing method that combines Eastern meridian acupuncture and Western psychology. This meta-analysis evaluates the efficacy of EFT in reducing anxiety, depression, and anticipatory grief symptoms in people with cancer. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across nine databases, including Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CBM, WeiPu, CNKI, and WanFang, up to May 2024. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focused on EFT's effects on psychological symptoms and well-being in people with cancer. Eligible RCTs were screened, quality-assessed, and analyzed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: From 1026 articles, ten RCTs met the inclusion criteria, involving 774 patients (388 in the EFT group and 386 in the control group). EFT reduced symptoms of depression (MD = −7.41, 95 % CI [−9.32, −5.51], P < .001) and anxiety (MD = −7.92, 95 % CI [−11.01, −4.83], P < .001). For anticipatory grief, EFT improved symptoms related to sadness, anger, death attitude, somatic symptoms, religious comfort, and perceived social support, but did not affect disease adjustment, self-awareness, or psychological distress. EFT also improved sleep quality (MD = −1.96, 95 % CI [−2.80, −1.13], P < .001). Conclusion: EFT significantly alleviates anxiety, depression, and certain aspects of anticipatory grief, as well as sleep issues in people with cancer, though it shows limited efficacy in psychological distress, disease adjustment, and self-awareness. Further research should standardize outcomes to verify EFT's comprehensive benefits.