Emotional Freedom Techniques for Postpartum Depression, Perceived Stress, and Anxiety

Abstract

Objective

To examine the effect of an Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) group intervention on perceived stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms in women in the postpartum period.

Design

A one-group pre- and posttest quasi-experimental design.

Setting/Local Problem

Postpartum depression (PPD) and anxiety affect nearly one in five women in the first 12 months after childbirth. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a significant worsening of symptoms of PPD, stress, and anxiety in this population. Mental health screening is the standard of care in perinatal settings. This practice has led to an increased rate of PPD and anxiety diagnoses and the need for evidence-based nonpharmacologic interventions to support mothers with PPD and anxiety.

Participants

Eleven mothers seeking care for lactation concerns who screened positive for PPD and anxiety symptoms.

Intervention/Measurements

A total of eight 1-hour group EFT sessions were offered to participants over a period of 4 weeks. During the group sessions, participants were taught how to perform the steps of EFT and apply it in a supportive group format. Measurement tools included the Subjective Unit of Distress Scale, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder–7. The preintervention and postintervention scores of these tools were compared using a paired-samples t test.

Results

After implementing EFT as a group intervention, we observed a reduction in mental health burden experienced by women in the postpartum period. There was a statistically significant decrease in depression (p = .003), anxiety (p <.001), and perceived stress (p <.001) scores 1 month after the EFT intervention.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that EFT may be a viable adjunctive intervention for managing depression, anxiety, and stress in the postpartum period. Further research with larger and more diverse samples is needed to confirm these findings.