Citation (APA Style): Temple, G. P., & Mollon, P. (2011). Reducing anxiety in dental patients using EFT: A pilot study. Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 3(2), 53-56.
Abstract
Adult patients awaiting dental treatment were screened for self-reported anxiety using an 11 point Likert scale. Those in the higher half of the range (N = 30) received a 10 minute intervention consisting of a 4 minute EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) explanation and 6 minute treatment. All patients reported a decrease in subjective anxiety, with a mean pre-treatment score of 8.03 and a post-treatment score of 3.03. Paired t-tests revealed a statistically significant decrease (p<0.001). These results are consistent with other published reports of EFTs efficacy for anxiety. They suggest that even a very brief EFT intervention can reduce anxiety and that a further controlled trial with both observer- and participant-rated measures should be undertaken.
