Post-Earthquake Rehabilitation of Clinical PTSD in Haitian Seminarians

April 7, 2015 PTSD, Trauma

Exploring the Use of EFT for post-Haitian Earthquake PTSD Sufferers

Haitian Seminarians. Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 4(2), 26-34. Click here to view Abstract http://goo.gl/pOs7XT

Abstract

Seventy-seven male Haïtian seminarians following the 2010 earthquake were assessed for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using the PTSD Checklist (PCL). Forty-eight (62%) exhibited scores in the clinical range (>49). The mean score of the entire sample was 54. Participants received 2 days of instruction in Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). Following the EFT training, 0% of participants scored in the clinical range on the PCL. A paired t-test analysis of the pre–post PCL scores indicated a statistically significant decrease (p < .001), to a mean of 27 at the post-test.

Post-test PCL scores decreased an average of 72%, ranging between a 21% reduction to a 100% reduction in symptom severity. These results are consistent with other published reports of TFT’s efficacy in treating PTSD symptoms in traumatized populations, such as war veterans and genocide survivors.

Editor’s Note

This is yet another study demonstrating the potential significant delivery of EFT to communities and populations who have suffered great natural environmental disasters and trauma. The results of this study are dramatic though study protocols obviously lack control groups, blinding etc. which are not necessarily appropriate in such a delivery. The purpose was to evaluate results after treatment delivery to a traumatized population. With an average reduction of PTSD symptoms of 72% and 0% showing in a clinical range of PTSD after only 2 days of intervention is an impressive result