Improving caregiver coping resources, reducing burden, and promoting well-being: Emotional Freedom Technique

This quantitative pre-experimental pretest–posttest study examined if, and to what extent, differences existed in perceived well-being, coping resources, and caregiving burden pre- and post-implementation of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) for caregivers of chronically ill, Alzheimer’s, and dementia patients post-COVID-19 in southwestern Arizona. This study was designed to determine if the self-applied intervention would help reduce caregiver burden and improve perceived well-being and coping skills. Emotional Freedom Technique is based in acupuncture and cognitive/cognitive behavioral theory. A convenience sample of 17 participants was recruited through three caregiver organizations. A class teaching EFT was given to non-professional, adult female caregivers. The pre-assessments included the Zarit Burden Interview, the Friedman Well-Being Scale, and the Coping Resources Inventory (time 1). Participants took the Coping Resources Inventory again immediately following the EFT class (time 2). Then the participants practiced EFT for 7 days post class and took all three assessments again (time 3). The repeated measures ANOVA results found a statistically nonsignificant EFT effect on caregiver coping resources: F(2, 32) = 1.04, p = .36. The Zarit scores showed a 25% reduction in the caregiver burden scores (Mpre = 48.76, Mpost = 36.59). The results of the paired-sample t-test performed on the Friedman Well-Being scores showed a significant 23% increase in caregiver well-being scores (Mpre = 62.30, Mpost = 76.53). These findings represent evidence of the EFT potential to improve the lives of caregivers of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients and justify further research on EFT effectiveness.