In a preliminary study of nearly 5000 individuals over a 14 year period, it was found that EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) was over 50% more effective in addressing General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) than conventional methods of treatment. The preliminary nature of these findings must be emphasized, however, at the close of therapy:

63% of the control group were judged as having improved
90% of the experimental group were judged as having improved
51% of the control group were judged as being symptom free
76% of the experimental group were judged as being symptom free

Brain mapping revealed that subjects whose acupuncture points were stimulated tended to be distinguished by a general pattern of brain wave normalization throughout the brain which, interestingly, not only persisted at 12-month follow-up, but became more pronounced.

When a person brings to mind an anxiety-provoking image or thought and at the same time taps an acupoint, this appears to reduce the subcortical activation response to that image or thought, at the same time enhancing the cortical (and evolutionary superior) control of emotions. Once this elevated limbic response has been neutralized by tapping multiple points multiple times while simultaneously holding the image or thought, an anxiety-free state seems to rapidly become conditioned to the original anxiety-provoking stimulus.

The principal investigator for this study was Joaqun Andrade, M.D. The report was written by Dr. Andrade and David Feinstein, Ph.D. The paper appeared in Energy Psychology Interactive (an integrated book and CD program for learning the fundamentals of energy psychology) by David Feinstein in consultation with Fred P. Gallo, Donna Eden, and the Energy Psychology Interactive Advisory Board.

And in a related study, 'Evaluation of a Meridian-Based Intervention, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), for Reducing Specific Phobias of Small Animals' (by Wells, S., Polglase, K., Andrews, H.B., Carrington, P, and Baker, A.H.) this study explored whether a meridian-based procedure, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), can reduce specific phobias of small animals under laboratory-controlled conditions. For details please see the public report at the following URL.