EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Remediates PTSD and Psychological Symptoms in Veterans: A Randomized Controlled Replication Trial
Abstract: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common condition among veterans and is often regarded as treatment-resistant. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) combines brief exposure therapy with acupressure and has demonstrated efficacy for PTSD in other trials and meta-analyses. This study recruited 58 veterans who scored 50 or greater on the military PTSD checklist (PCL-M), indicating clinical symptom levels. Participants were randomized into a Treatment As Usual (TAU) wait-list group (n = 26) and an experimental group (n = 32), which received six one-hour EFT sessions in addition to TAU. The mean pretreatment PCL-M score of participants was 66 ± 7.4, with no significant difference between groups. The EFT group demonstrated a significant reduction in PCL-M score from 65 ± 8.1 to 34 ± 10.3 (p < 0.001), while subjects in the TAU group showed no significant change. The TAU group was then treated with EFT and groups were combined for analysis using linear mixed effects modeling. In the combined EFT group, posttreatment PCL-M scores declined to a mean of 34 (–52%, p < 0.001). Participant gains were maintained at three and six-month follow-up, with mean six-month PCL-M scores of 34 (p < 0.001). Psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression also declined significantly, as did physiological markers of insomnia and pain. An effect size of Cohen’s d = 3.44 indicates a large treatment effect. These results replicate those obtained in an earlier investigation, and indicate that EFT is an evidence-based practice that is highly effective at reducing symptom severity in veterans with PTSD.
Abstract: Introduction: Persistent inequities exist in obstetric and neonatal outcomes in military families despite universal health care coverage. Though the exact underlying cause has not been identified, social determinants of health may uniquely impact military families. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively investigate the potential impact of social determinants of health and the lived experiences of military individuals seeking maternity care in the Military Health System. Materials and methods: This was an Institutional Review Board-approved protocol. Nine providers conducted 31 semi-structured interviews with individuals who delivered within the last 5 years in the direct or purchased care market. Participants were recruited through social media blasts and clinic flyers with both maximum variation and homogenous sampling to ensure participation of diverse individuals. Data were coded and themes were identified using inductive qualitative research methods. Results: Three main themes were identified: Requirements of Military Life (with subthemes of pregnancy notification and privacy during care, role of pregnancy instructions and policies, and role of command support), Sociocultural Aspects of the Military Experience (with subthemes of pregnancy as a burden on colleagues and a career detractor, postpartum adjustment, balancing personal and professional requirements, pregnancy timing and parenting challenges, and importance of friendship and camaraderie in pregnancy), and Navigating the Healthcare Experience (including subthemes of transfer between military and civilian care and TRICARE challenges, perception of military care as inferior to civilian, and remote duty stations and international care). Conclusions: The unique stressors of military life act synergistically with the existing health care challenges, presenting opportunities for improvements in care. Such opportunities may include increased consistency of policies across services and commands. Increased access to group prenatal care and support groups, and increased assistance with navigating the health care system to improve care transitions were frequently requested changes by participants.