The Effect of Emotional Freedom Technique on Depressive and Menopausal Symptoms in Postmenopausal Women

NCT06338085 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: meryemvrlshn00000000002
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 70
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), a nonpharmacological method, on menopausal symptoms and depression in postmenopausal women. By determining the effectiveness of the Emotional Freedom Technique, the applicability of non-pharmacological method treatment in women with depression and menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal period will be proven. As a result of the study, if a positive effect on menopausal symptoms and depression is found in women with EFT, it can be recommended as an evidence-based alternative method in midwifery and nursing care.

Conditions

Menopause

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Beck Depression Scale

  It was developed in 1961 by Beck et al. Reliability and validity analysis in Turkey was conducted by Hisli et al. in 1988. The scale consists of 21 questions. Each question is scored between 0-3 points. The total score that can be obtained from the scale is between 0-63. A high score on the scale increases the severity of depression. A score between 10-17 points indicates mild depression, 18-29 points indicates moderate depression, and a score between 30-63 points indicates severe depression. In the Turkish validity analysis of the scale, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was found to be 0.74.

  8 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Menopause Rating Scale (MRS)

  8 weeks

Study Arms (2)

intervention group

EXPERIMENTAL

The researcher will provide the intervention group with Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) training, which will last for 2 sessions of 45 minutes with 1 day intervals.Participants will then be asked to continue the techniques taught during the training on their own once a day for 8 weeks.

Other: emotional liberation technique

control group

NO INTERVENTION

no intervention will be made to the control group

Interventions

emotional liberation technique OTHER

In this intervention, with the technique taught by the researcher, women will self-administer the practice of lightly touching certain points 5 days and 1 time per week for 8 weeks. A whatsup group will be created by the researcher. A reminder message will be sent from this group to do the practice 1 time every day.

intervention group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: Up to 65 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Being in menopausal period (no menstruation in the last 12 months)
• Literacy,
• No visual, auditory and mental disabilities

You may not qualify if:

• Receiving cancer treatment during research,
• Diagnosed with depression during the research,
• Taking any psychiatric medication during the study,
• Receiving hormone replacement therapy before or during the trial
• Who did not attend the Eft sessions

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Meryem Vural Şahin: lead

Study Sites (1)

family health center no. 1 in Çayyolu

Ankara, Çankaya, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (20)

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• Ambikairajah A, Walsh E, Cherbuin N. A review of menopause nomenclature. Reprod Health. 2022 Jan 31;19(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s12978-022-01336-7.

  PMID: 35101087 BACKGROUND

• Bustami M, Matalka KZ, Elyyan Y, Hussein N, Hussein N, Abu Safieh N, Thekrallah F, Mallah E, Abu-Qatouseh L, Arafat T. Age of Natural Menopause Among Jordanian Women and Factors Related to Premature and Early Menopause. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2021 Jan 19;14:199-207. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S289851. eCollection 2021.

  PMID: 33500673 BACKGROUND

• Curta JC, Weissheimer AM. Perceptions and feelings about physical changes in climacteric women. Rev Gaucha Enferm. 2020;41(spe):e20190198. doi: 10.1590/1983-1447.2020.20190198. Epub 2020 May 8. English, Portuguese.

  PMID: 32401861 BACKGROUND

• Trimarco V, Rozza F, Izzo R, De Leo V, Cappelli V, Riccardi C, Di Carlo C. Effects of a new combination of nutraceuticals on postmenopausal symptoms and metabolic profile: a crossover, randomized, double-blind trial. Int J Womens Health. 2016 Oct 11;8:581-587. doi: 10.2147/IJWH.S115948. eCollection 2016.

  PMID: 27785106 BACKGROUND

• Weidner K, Bittner A, Beutel M, Goeckenjan M, Brahler E, Garthus-Niegel S. The role of stress and self-efficacy in somatic and psychological symptoms during the climacteric period - Is there a specific association? Maturitas. 2020 Jun;136:1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2020.03.004. Epub 2020 Mar 13.

  PMID: 32386660 BACKGROUND

• Li X, Ren Z, Ji T, Shi H, Zhao H, He M, Fan X, Guo X, Zha S, Qiao S, Li Y, Pu Y, Liu H, Zhang X. Associations of sleep quality, anxiety symptoms and social support with subjective well-being among Chinese perimenopausal women. J Affect Disord. 2022 Apr 1;302:66-73. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.01.089. Epub 2022 Jan 24.

  PMID: 35085670 BACKGROUND

• Mathew DJ, Kumar S, Jain PK, Shukla SK, Ali N, Singh DR. A Cross-Sectional Study to Assess the Quality of Life of Perimenopausal and Post menopausal Women in Rural Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India. J Midlife Health. 2020 Jul-Sep;11(3):161-167. doi: 10.4103/jmh.JMH_88_19. Epub 2020 Sep 29.

  PMID: 33384540 BACKGROUND

• Aygün, M. S.,(2019). Evaluation of the frequency and relationship between menopause and depression symptoms in women aged 40-64 years who applied to Ankara University family medicine outpatient clinics.

  BACKGROUND

• Bach D, Groesbeck G, Stapleton P, Sims R, Blickheuser K, Church D. Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Improves Multiple Physiological Markers of Health. J Evid Based Integr Med. 2019 Jan-Dec;24:2515690X18823691. doi: 10.1177/2515690X18823691.

  PMID: 30777453 BACKGROUND

• Gordon JL, Halleran M, Beshai S, Eisenlohr-Moul TA, Frederick J, Campbell TS. Endocrine and psychosocial moderators of mindfulness-based stress reduction for the prevention of perimenopausal depressive symptoms: A randomized controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2021 Aug;130:105277. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105277. Epub 2021 May 19.

  PMID: 34058560 BACKGROUND

• Soares CN. Depression in peri- and postmenopausal women: prevalence, pathophysiology and pharmacological management. Drugs Aging. 2013 Sep;30(9):677-85. doi: 10.1007/s40266-013-0100-1.

  PMID: 23801148 BACKGROUND

• Elsan, T. (2018). Evaluation of the quality of life of menopausal women applying to a PHC area (Master's thesis, Institute of Health Sciences).

  BACKGROUND

• Deecher D, Andree TH, Sloan D, Schechter LE. From menarche to menopause: exploring the underlying biology of depression in women experiencing hormonal changes. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2008 Jan;33(1):3-17. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.10.006. Epub 2007 Dec 3.

  PMID: 18063486 BACKGROUND

• Baker, B. S., & Hoffman, C. J. (2015). Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to reduce the side effects associated with tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitor use in women with breast cancer: A service evaluation. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 7(2), 136-142.

  BACKGROUND

• Willi J, Suss H, Grub J, Ehlert U. Biopsychosocial predictors of depressive symptoms in the perimenopause-findings from the Swiss Perimenopause Study. Menopause. 2021 Jan 4;28(3):247-254. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001704.

  PMID: 33399325 BACKGROUND

• Vivian-Taylor J, Hickey M. Menopause and depression: is there a link? Maturitas. 2014 Oct;79(2):142-6. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2014.05.014. Epub 2014 Jun 2.

  PMID: 24951102 BACKGROUND

• Augoulea A, Moros M, Lykeridou A, Kaparos G, Lyberi R, Panoulis K. Psychosomatic and vasomotor symptom changes during transition to menopause. Prz Menopauzalny. 2019 Jun;18(2):110-115. doi: 10.5114/pm.2019.86835. Epub 2019 Jun 28.

  PMID: 31485208 BACKGROUND

• Church D, Stapleton P, Sabot D. App-Based Delivery of Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques: Cross-Sectional Study of App User Self-Ratings. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2020 Oct 14;8(10):e18545. doi: 10.2196/18545.

  PMID: 32862128 BACKGROUND

• Mehdipour A, Abedi P, Ansari S, Dastoorpoor M. The effectiveness of emotional freedom techniques (EFT) on depression of postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. J Complement Integr Med. 2021 May 19;19(3):737-742. doi: 10.1515/jcim-2020-0245. eCollection 2022 Sep 1.

  PMID: 34013673 BACKGROUND

Study Officials

• Meltem UĞURLU

  Gulhane School of Medicine

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Phd Student

Model Details: the groups with a conventional therapy control group

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 23, 2024
• First Posted: March 29, 2024
• Study Start: January 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: July 30, 2023
• Study Completion: November 30, 2024
• Last Updated: May 4, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)