TITLE:
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Two Modalities of Group Delivery of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Intervention for Food Cravings: Online versus In-Person
AUTHORS:
P. Stapleton, M. Stewart
KEYWORDS:
Food Cravings, Anxiety, Online Therapy, Emotional Freedom Techniques
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.8 No.2,
February
28,
2020
ABSTRACT: Recent
research has demonstrated the effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Techniques
(EFT), to address overeating behaviours in obese and overweight individuals
both in-person (Church & Brooks, 2010; Stapleton et al., 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017) and online (Church,
Stapleton, Sheppard & Carter, 2018; Church & Wilde, 2013). The
aim of the present study was to determine whether an online EFT program was as
efficacious as the in-person treatment. This was achieved by comparing data
from a randomised clinical trial (RCT) for an in-person EFT intervention for
weight management (Stapleton et al., 2016), with an equivalent online RCT. Each
program targeted food cravings, the subjective power of food, dietary
restraint, body mass index, weight, somatic symptomology, anxiety, and
depression. Results indicate both modalities were comparable in efficacy and
both groups experienced significant reductions from pre-intervention to
post-intervention, with reductions remaining significant at follow ups for food
cravings, power of food, depression and weight, with minor differences observed
at post-intervention or 6-month follow up for dietary restraint, somatic
symptoms, anxiety and body mass index. Follow-up analyses revealed a
significant effect of depression, anxiety and weight on attrition in the online
treatment group.