Behavioral intervention

EFT / tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques)

Emotional Freedom Techniques; acupoint tapping paired with exposure and cognitive elements.

D
Grade and summary pending review

Last reviewed 2026-10-22

Provisional grade. This entry carries a baseline score generated from the standard framework but not yet confirmed by rater review. The dimensions, the citations behind them, and the grade may all move.

What the evidence shows

Human randomised trials exist, which is why this is graded rather than screened out. Reported cortisol reductions are real, but a 2020 replication decoupled the marker from the outcome: cortisol fell while subjective distress did not improve, so the clinically meaningful endpoint was arguably not met. The literature is dominated by one group that also sells the training, and whether acupoint tapping is the active component has never been tested against a sham.

Human Outcome
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Biomarker Relevance
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Signal Source Quality
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Organ Specificity
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Interaction Certainty
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Translational Maturity
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Per-dimension evidence strength is part of the full analysis Unlock full analysis

Documented combinations

No documented combinations on record yet. That is a statement about the literature, not a statement of safety.