The Effects of a Thought Field Therapy Stress Reduction Protocol on the Stress and Empathy Levels of Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The effects of a stress reduction Thought Field Therapy (TFT) protocol vs. a control-stimulation protocol on general stress, parenting stress, and empathy (perspective taking) were explored in this mixed-model, randomized control study. Parents of children with autism, from Israel and the USA, showed reduced general stress and an increase in perspective taking following the intervention, as measured by self-reports. Parenting stress partially mediated the effect of TFT on perspective taking. There were no additional changes during the follow-up period. Participants with personality characteristics of the broad autism phenotype presented at baseline higher general and parenting-related stress scores, and lower perspective taking scores, regardless of their intervention group. The finding suggests that perspective taking is part of the broad autism phenotype. TFT was effective, regardless of participants’ broad autism phenotype (BAP) status.