The current status of energy psychology: Extraordinary claims with less than ordinary evidence

Clinical Psychologist

Volumn 17, Issue 3, 2013, Pages 91-99

  Bakker, Gary M ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA   (Australia)

Author keywords

emotional freedom techniques; empirically supported treatments; energy psychology; pseudoscience; thought field therapy

Indexed keywords

EID: 84887823242     PISSN: 13284207     EISSN: 17429552     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/cp.12020     Document Type: Article

References (93)

1. Alcahe, A. L., (2009). Manualized group treatment of trauma among women using energy psychology. ProQuest Information & Learning, 70, AAI3344636.
2. Bakan, D., (1966). The influence of phrenology on American psychology. Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, 2 (3), 200-202. doi: 10.1002/1520-6696(196607)2:3<200:AID-JHBS2300020304>3.0.CO;2-L.
3. Baker, A. H., &, Siegel, L. S., (2005). Can a 45 minute session of EFT lead to reduction of intense fear of rats, spiders and water bugs? Paper presented at the seventh international conference of the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology, Baltimore.
4. Baker, A. H., &, Siegel, M. A., (2010). Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) reduces intense fears: A partial replication and extension of Wells et al. Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, & Treatment, 2, 13-30.
5. Bausell, R. B., (2007). Snake oil science: The truth about complementary and alternative medicine. New York: Oxford University Press.
6. Beutler, L. E., Bongar, B., &, Shurkin, J. N., (1998). Am I crazy, or is it my shrink? How to get the help you need. New York: Oxford University Press.
7. Boisvert, C. M., (2010). Negative treatment effects: Is it time for a black box warning? American Psychologist, 65, 680-681. doi: 10.1037/a0020078.
8. Borkovec, T. D., (1985). Placebo: Defining the unknown. In, L. White, B. Tursky, &, G. E. Schwartz, (Eds.), Placebo: Theory, research, and mechanisms (pp. 59-64). New York: Guilford Press.
9. Callahan, R., (1985). Five minute phobia cure. Wilmington, DE: Enterprise.
10. Callahan, R., (2001a). Raising and lowering of heart rate variability: Some clinical findings of Thought Field Therapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57 (10), 1175-1186. doi: 10.1002/jclp.1084.
11. Callahan, R., (2001b). The impact of Thought Field Therapy on heart rate variability. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57 (10), 1153-1170. doi: 10.1002/jclp.1082.
12. Callahan, R., (2001c). Thought Field Therapy: Response to our critics and a scrutiny of some old ideas of social science. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57 (10), 1251-1260. doi: 10.1002/jclp.1093.
13. Chambless, D. L., &, Hollon, S. D., (1998). Defining empirically supported therapies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66 (1), 7-18. doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.66.1.7.
14. Church, D., (2009). The effect of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) on athletic performance: A randomized controlled blind trial. The Open Sports Sciences Journal, 2, 94-99. doi: 10.2174/1875399X00902010094.
15. Church, D., Yount, G., &, Brooks, A., (2012). The effect of emotional freedom techniques on stress biochemistry: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 200 (10), 891-896. doi: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e31826b9fc1.
16. Craig, G., &, Fowlie, A., (1995). Emotional freedom techniques: The manual (with video and audio tapes). Sea Ranch, CA: Author.
17. Devilly, G. J., (2005). Power Therapies and possible threats to the science of psychology and psychiatry. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 39, 437-445. doi: 10.1080/j.1440-1614.2005.01601.x.
18. Diepold, J. H., (2000). Touch and breathe: An alternative treatment approach with meridian based psychotherapies. Traumatology, 6 (2), 109-118.
19. Diepold, J. H., &, Goldstein, D. M., (2009). Thought field therapy and QEEG changes in the treatment of trauma: A case study. Traumatology, 15 (1), 85-93. doi: 10.1177/1534765608325304.
20. Durlacher, J. V., (1994). Freedom from fear forever. Tempe, AZ: Van Ness.
21. Eden, D., &, Feinstein, D., (2002). Radiant circuits: The energies of joy. In, F. P. Gallo, (Ed.), Energy psychology in psychotherapy: A comprehensive sourcebook (pp. 340-359). New York: WW Norton & Co.
22. Eisner, D. A., (2000). The death of psychotherapy: From Freud to alien abductions. Westport, CT: Praeger.
23. Elder, C., Ritenbaugh, C., Mist, S., Aickin, M., Schneider, J., Zwickey, H., Elmer, P., (2007). Randomized trial of two mind-body interventions for weight-loss maintenance. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 13 (1), 67-78. doi: 10.1089/acm.2006.623.
24. Elder, C. R., Gullion, C. M., Debar, L. L., Funk, K. L., Lindberg, N. M., Ritenbaugh, C.,., Stevens, V. J., (2012). Randomized trial of Tapas Acupressure Technique for weight loss maintenance. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 12, 19.
25. Feinstein, D., (2008a). Energy psychology: A review of the preliminary evidence. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 45 (2), 199-213. doi: 10.1037/0033-3204.45.2.199.
26. Feinstein, D., (2008b). Energy psychology in disaster relief. Traumatology, 14 (1), 124-137. doi: 10.1177/1534765608315636.
27. Feinstein, D., (2009). Facts, paradigms, and anomalies in the acceptance of energy psychology: A rejoinder to McCaslin's (2009) and Pignotti and Thyer's (2009) comments on Feinstein (2008a). Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 46 (2), 262-269. doi: 10.1037/a0016086.
28. Feinstein, D., (2012). Acupoint stimulation in treating psychological disorders: Evidence of efficacy. Review of General Psychology, 16 (4), 364-380. doi: 10.1037/a0028602.
29. Feinstein, D., &, Church, D., (2010). Modulating gene expression through psychotherapy: The contribution of non-invasive somatic interventions. Review of General Psychology, 14 (4), 283-295. doi: 10.1037/a0021252.
30. Fleming, T., (1996). You can heal now: The Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT). Redondo Beach, CA: TAT International.
31. Gallo, F. P., (1999). Energy psychology: Explorations at the interface of energy, cognition, behavior, and health. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
32. Gallo, F. P., (2000). Energy diagnostic and treatment methods. New York: WW Norton & Co.
33. Gallo, F. P., (2004). Energy psychology: Explorations at the interface of energy, cognition, behavior, and health (2nd ed.). New York: CRC Press.
34. Gaudiano, B. A., &, Herbert, J. D., (2008). Can we really tap our problems away? A critical analysis of thought field therapy. In, S. O. Lillienfeld, J. Ruscio, &, S. J. Lynn, (Eds.), Navigating the minefield: A user's guide to distinguishing science from pseudoscience in mental health (pp. 419-433). Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.
35. Gerbode, F. A., &, Moore, R. H., (2004). Trauma and TIR. In, F. A. Gerbode, &, R. H. Moore, (Eds.), Beyond conversations on traumatic incident reduction (pp. 1-21). Ann Arbor, MI: Loving Healing Press.
36. Haake, M., Müller, H. H., Schade-Brittinger, C., Basler, H. D., Schäfer, H., Maier, C.,., Molsberger, A., (2007). German acupuncture trials (GERAC) for chronic low back pain. Archives of Internal Medicine, 167 (17), 1892-1898.
37. Hall, H., (2008). What about acupuncture? Skeptic, 14, 8-9.
38. Herbert, J. D., (2003). The science and practice of empirically supported treatments. Behavior Modification, 27 (3), 412-430. doi: 10.1177/ 0145445503027003008.
39. Herbert, J. D., &, Gaudiano, B. A., (2001). The search for the Holy Grail: Heart rate variability and Thought Field Therapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57 (10), 1207-1214. doi: 10.1002/jclp.1087.
40. Herbert, J. D., &, Gaudiano, B. A., (2005). Moving from empirically supported treatment lists to practice guidelines in psychotherapy: The role of the placebo concept. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61 (7), 893-908. doi: 10.1002/jclp.20133.
41. Hrobjartsson, A., &, Gotzsche, P. C., (2010). Placebo interventions for all clinical conditions. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (1): CD003974.
42. Jackson, S. L., (2006). Research methods and statistics (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
43. Johnson, C., Shala, M., Sejdijaj, X., Odell, R., &, Dabishevci, D., (2001). Thought Field Therapy: Soothing the bad moments of Kosovo. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57 (10), 1237-1240. doi: 10.1002/jclp.1090.
44. Kaptchuk, T. J., Kelley, J. M., Conboy, L. A., Davis, R. B., Kerr, C. E., Jacobson, E. E.,., Lembo, A. J., (2008). Components of placebo effect: Randomised controlled trial in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. British Medical Journal, 336 (7651), 999-1003. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39524.439618.2.
45. Karatzias, T., Power, K., Brown, K., McGoldrick, T., Begum, M., Young, J.,., Adams, S., (2011). A controlled comparison of the effectiveness and efficiency of two psychological therapies for posttraumatic stress disorder: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing vs. Emotional Freedom Techniques. Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases, 199, 372-378. doi: 10.1097/MND. 0b013e31821cd26.
46. Kline, J. P., (2001). Heart rate variability does not tap putative efficacy of Thought Field Therapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57 (10), 1187-1192. doi: 10.1002/jclp.1085.
47. Kober, A., Scheck, T., Greher, M., Lieba, F., Fleischhackl, R., Fleischhackl, S.,., Hoerauf, K., (2002). Pre-hospital analgesia with acupressure in victims of minor trauma: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded trial. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 95, 723-727.
48. Koziey, P. W., &, McLeod, G. L., (1987). Visual-kinesthetic dissociation in treatment of victims of rape. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 18 (3), 276-282. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.18.3.276.
49. Lilienfeld, S. O., (2007). Psychological treatments that cause harm. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2 (1), 53-70. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-6916. 2007.00029x.
50. Lilienfeld, S. O., (2011). Distinguishing scientific from pseudoscientific psychotherapies: Evaluating the role of theoretical plausibility, with a little help from Reverend Bayes. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 18 (2), 105-112. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2850.2011.01241.x.
51. Linde, K., Streng, A., Jürgens, S., Hoppe, A., Brinkhaus, B., Witt, C.,., Melchart, D., (2005). Acupuncture for patients with migraine: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 293 (17), 2118-2125. doi: 10.1001/jama.293.17.211.
52. Llewellyn-Edwards, T., &, Llewellyn-Edwards, M., (2012). The effect of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) on soccer performance. Fidelity: Journal for the National Council of Psychotherapy, 47, 14-19.
53. Lohr, J. M., (2001). Sakai et al. Is not an adequate demonstration of TFT effectiveness. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57 (10), 1229-1235. doi: 10.1002/jclp.1089.
54. Lohr, J. M., Hooke, W., Gist, R., &, Tolin, D. F., (2003). Novel and controversial treatments for trauma-related stress disorders. In, S. O. Lilienfeld, S. J. Lynn, &, J. M. Lohr, (Eds.), Science and pseudoscience in clinical psychology (pp. 243-272). New York: The Guilford Press.
55. McCaslin, D., (2009). A review of efficacy claims in energy psychology. Psychotherapy: Research, Practice, Training, 46, 249-256. doi: 10.1037/a0016025.
56. McNally, R. J., (1999). EMDR and Mesmerism: A comparative historical analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 13, 225-236. doi: 10.1016/S0887-6185(98) 00049-8.
57. McNally, R. J., (2001). Tertullian's motto and Callahan's method. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57, 1171-1174. doi: 10.1002/jclp.1083.
58. Melchart, D., Streng, A., Hoppe, A., Brinkhaus, B., Witt, C., Wagenpfeil, S.,., Linde, K., (2005). Acupuncture in patients with tension-type headache: Randomised controlled trial. British Medical Journal, 331, 376-382. doi: 10.1136/bmj.38512.405440.8.
59. Murray, B., (1999). APA no longer approves CE sponsorship for thought field therapy. APA Monitor, 30 (11).
60. Novella, S., (2010). The poor, misunderstood placebo. Skeptical Inquirer, 34 (6), 33-34.
61. O'Brien, B., Relyea, M. J., &, Taerum, T., (1996). Efficacy of P6 acupressure in the treatment of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 174, 708-715.
62. O'Donohue, W., (Ed.) (1998). Learning and behavior therapy. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
63. Oschman, J. L., (2000). Energy medicine: The scientific basis. London: Churhill Livingstone.
64. Oschman, J. L., (2008). Perspective: Assume a spherical cow: The role of free or mobile electrons in bodywork, energetic and movement therapies. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 12 (1), 40-57.
65. Pignotti, M., (2005a). Regarding the October 2001 Journal of Clinical Psychology special issue on Thought Field Therapy: Retraction of conclusions in the article "Heart rate variability as an outcome measure for Thought Field Therapy in clinical practice." Comment. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61 (3), 361-365. doi: 10.1002/jclp.20052.
66. Pignotti, M., (2005b). Thought Field Therapy in the media: A critical analysis of one exemplar. The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice, 3 (2), 60-66.
67. Pignotti, M., (2005c). Thought Field Therapy Voice Technology vs. random meridian point sequences: A single-blind controlled experiment. The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice, 4 (1), 38-47.
68. Pignotti, M., (2007). Thought field therapy: A former insider's experience. Research on Social Work Practice, 17 (3), 392-407.
69. Pignotti, M., &, Steinberg, M., (2001). Heart rate variability as an outcome measure for Thought Field Therapy in clinical practice. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57 (10), 1193-1206. doi: 10.1002/jclp.1086.
70. Pignotti, M., &, Thyer, B., (2009). Some comments on "Energy psychology: A review of the evidence": Premature conclusions based on incomplete evidence? Psychotherapy Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 46 (2), 257-261. doi: 10.1037/a0016027.
71. Popper, K., (1959). The logic of scientific discovery. London: Hutchinson.
72. Ramey, D. W., &, Sampson, L., (2001). Review of the evidence for the clinical efficacy of human acupuncture. The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine, 5, 195-201.
73. Rosa, L., Rosa, E., Sarner, L., &, Barrett, S., (1998). A closer look at therapeutic touch. Journal of the American Medical Association, 279, 1005-1010. doi: 10.1001/jama.279.13.1005.
74. Rosen, G. M., &, Davison, G. C., (2001). "Echo attributions" and other risks when publishing on novel therapies without peer review. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57 (10), 1245-1250. doi: 10.1002/jclp.1092.
75. Rosen, G. M., &, Davison, G. C., (2003). Psychology should list empirically supported principles of change (ESPs) and not credential trademarked therapies or other treatment packages. Behavior Modification, 27 (3), 300-312. doi: 10.1177/0145445503027003003.
76. Rosen, G. M., Lohr, J. M., McNally, J. R., &, Herbert, J. D., (1998). Power therapies, miraculous claims, and the cures that fail. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 26 (2), 99-101.
77. Rosner, R., (2001). Between search and research: How to find your way around? Review of the article "Thought Field Therapy-soothing the bad moments of Kosovo". Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57 (10), 1241-1244. doi: 10.1002/jclp.1091.
78. Rubino, A., (In press). The effectiveness of Emotional Freedom Techniques for optimal test performance. Energy Psychology: Theory, Practice, Research.
79. Sakai, C. S., Paperny, D., Matthews, M., Tanida, G., Boyd, G., Simons, A.,., Nutter, L., (2001). Thought Field Therapy clinical application: Utilization in an HMO in behavioral medicine and behavioral health services. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57, 1215-1227. doi: 10.1002/jclp.100.
80. Salas, M. M., (2001). The effect of an energy psychology intervention (EFT) versus diaphragmatic breathing on specific phobias. Unpublished master's thesis. Kingsville: Texas A & M University.
81. Salas, M., Brooks, A., &, Rowe, J., (2011). The immediate effect of a brief energy psychology intervention (Emotional Freedom Techniques) on specific phobias: A pilot study. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, 7, 155-161. Doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2011.02.005.
82. Saravi, F. D., (1999). Energy and the brain: Facts and fantasies. In, S. Della Sala, (Ed.), Mind Myths: Exploring popular assumptions about the mind and brain (pp. 44-58). New York: Wiley.
83. Schoninger, B., (2004). Efficacy of Thought Field Therapy (TFT) as a treatment modality for persons with public speaking anxiety. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Cincinnati, OH: Union Institute.
84. Sezgin, N., &, Ozcan, B., (2004). Comparison of the effectiveness of two techniques for reducing test anxiety: EFT & progressive muscular relaxation. Poster session presented at the sixth annual Energy Psychology Conference, Toronto, ON.
85. Sezgin, N., &, Ozcan, B., (2009). The effect of progressive muscular relaxation and Emotional Freedom Techniques on test anxiety in high school students: A randomized blind controlled study. Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 1, 23-29.
86. Shapiro, F., (2001). Eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing: Basic principles, protocols and procedures (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford.
87. Spencer, J. W., (1999). Essential issues in complementary/alternative medicine. In, J. W. Spencer, &, J. J. Jacobs, (Eds.), Complementary/ alternative medicine (pp. 2-39). St Louis, MO: Mosby.
88. Stapleton, P., Sheldon, T., Porter, B., &, Whitty, J., (2011). A randomised clinical trial of a meridian-based intervention for food cravings with six-month follow-up. Behaviour Change, 28 (1), 1-16. doi: 10.1375/bech.28.1.1.
89. Streng, A., (2007). Summary of the randomized controlled trials from the German model projects on acupuncture for chronic pain. Journal of Chinese Medicine, 83, 5-10.
90. Waite, W. L., &, Holder, M. D., (2003). Assessment of the Emotional Freedom Technique: An alternative treatment for fear. Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice, 2, 20-26.
91. Wakefield, H. J., (Ed.) (2002). Energy psychology in psychotherapy: A comprehensive sourcebook. New York: W W Norton & Co.
92. Wells, S., Polglase, K., Andrews, H. B., Carrington, P., &, Baker, A. H., (2003). Evaluation of a meridian-based intervention, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), for reducing specific phobias of small animals. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59 (9), 943-966. doi: 10.1002/jclp.10189.
93. Yeung, W. F., Chung, K. F., Poon, M. M., Ho, F. Y., Zhang, S. P., Zhang, Z. J.,., Wong, V. T., (2012). Acupressure, reflexology, and auricular acupressure for insomnia: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Sleep Medicine, 13 (8), 971-984. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2012.06.00.