The Effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Technique on Public Speaking Anxiety in University Student: An Integrated Review

Public speaking anxiety is the most frequently feared condition among university students in academic activities. Emotional freedom technique has gained increased popularity and appears a promising way to reduce emotional distress in different settings and populations. However, limited review has examined EFT treatment for public speaking anxiety. This integrative review was to examine the effectiveness of EFT programs on public speaking anxiety in university students. The review was carried out using the framework for integrated reviews obtained from Google Scholar, PsycINFO, and PubMed. Articles were included when reporting primary studies on the efficacy of EFT programs on public speaking anxiety for university students in Bahasa Indonesia and English. The total of five were evaluated critically and included in the review. Two of the studies were undertaken in the United Kingdom, and one each in Australia, Turkey, and Indonesia. Two of the studies were randomized controlled, two used mixed methods, and one quasi-experimental design. A majority of the interventions were able to reduce public speaking anxiety. This review shows that implementation of EFT, even within limited resources, is both achievable and worthwhile. EFT programs should be introduced early in the curriculum for university students in their first year of a bachelor program.