Melanoma (Skin)NCT05421988
Effectiveness of Group and Individual Training in EFT for Patients in Remission From Melanoma
A study testing Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) in people with Melanoma (Skin), run by Soul Medicine Institute at 1 site in Israel.
Trial summary
Serious medical diagnosis frequently induce fear focused on specific anticipations or generalized anxiety, along with uncertainty, insecurity, and disorientation. Other emotions such as anger, depression, hopelessness, shame, or grief may also become involved following a serious diagnosis. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Melanoma (Skin)
- What is being tested?
- Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 56 participants
- Where
- 1 siteIsrael
- Study dates
- 20 Oct 2022to 20 Jul 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Melanoma diagnosis over six months prior to the study; confirmed by clinical, dermoscopic examination and pathology results
Who cannot join
- In active treatment for melanoma
- schizophrenia
- epilepsy
- other malignant disease
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Effectiveness of Group and Individual Training in Emotional Freedom Techniques for Patients in Remission From Melanoma
Serious medical diagnosis frequently induce fear focused on specific anticipations or generalized anxiety, along with uncertainty, insecurity, and disorientation. Other emotions such as anger, depression, hopelessness, shame, or grief may also become involved following a serious diagnosis. The adverse impact of stress on health and immune function is well-established, as well as its link to depression and anxiety. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has demonstrated efficacy in treating anxiety, depression, and PTSD. This study tests its effectiveness in reducing negative emotional symptoms in general, and fear of recurrence in particular, among individuals previously diagnosed with melanoma and currently in remission.
Read the detailed description
Serious medical diagnosis frequently induce fear focused on specific anticipations or generalized anxiety, along with uncertainty, insecurity, and disorientation. Other emotions such as anger, depression, hopelessness, shame, or grief may also become involved following a serious diagnosis. The adverse impact of stress on health and immune function is well-established, as well as its link to depression and anxiety. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has demonstrated efficacy in treating anxiety, depression, and PTSD. This study tests its effectiveness in reducing negative emotional symptoms in general, and fear of recurrence in particular, among individuals previously diagnosed with melanoma and currently in remission.
Specifically, the study aims:
- To assess the effect of instruction and practice of EFT on illness perception, fear of cancer recurrence, and wellbeing.
- To assess whether the social support provided by EFT instruction in a group setting makes this efficient mode of implementation non-inferior or even beneficial in comparison to personal instruction.
- To describe the emotions related to life events reported by patients in connection with the appearance and location of melanoma.
- Conditions
- Melanoma (Skin)
- Being tested
- Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
- Medical subject headings
- Melanoma
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)Behavioural
EFT is an efficacious method demonstrated in over 100 clinical trials. It combines cognitive and exposure techniques with acupressure, in the form of fingertip percussion on acupuncture meridian points.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Individual EFT Therapy | Experimental | Personal EFT instruction and practice group Receives: Behavioral: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) |
| Group EFT Therapy | Experimental | Group EFT instruction and practice group Receives: Behavioral: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) |
| Wait List | No intervention | Wait list control group |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Illness perception
Change in score on Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R)
Measured: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Perception of recurrence
Change of perceived recurrence risk on a Likert scale
Measured: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Secondary outcomes (5)
Other physical symptoms
Change in patient's self-report of somatization, pain, and other symptoms on a Likert scale
Measured: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Depression
Change in depressive symptoms on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)
Measured: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Anxiety
Change in anxiety symptoms on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)
Measured: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Patient's self-report of quality of life
Change in quality of life scores on the Quality of Life Scale (QOLS)
Measured: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Wellbeing
Change in score on The Well-being Numerical Rating Scales (WB-NRSs).
Measured: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Jun 2022
- Study start20 Oct 2022
- Primary completion20 Jul 2025
- Study completion20 Jul 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Melanoma (Skin)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 56 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Soul Medicine Institute
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Tel Aviv University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Yael Benyamini, PhD, Study director, Tel Aviv University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05421988
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- NIIH20220324
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 3 Apr 2022
- Last updated
- 27 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: An anonymized data file will be made available to any other qualified investigator who requests it.
Publications
Lazarov A, Church D, Shidlo N, Benyamini Y. The Effectiveness of Group and Individual Training in Emotional Freedom Techniques for Patients in Remission from Melanoma: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Jun 13;13(12):1420. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13121420.
PubMed 40565447
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effectiveness of Group and Individual Training in Emotional Freedom Techniques for Patients in Remission From Melanoma
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05421988
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- NIIH20220324
- Conditions
- Melanoma (Skin)
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 56 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Soul Medicine InstituteUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Tel Aviv University
- Study start
- 20 Oct 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 20 Jul 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 20 Jul 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 16 Jun 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Serious medical diagnosis frequently induce fear focused on specific anticipations or generalized anxiety, along with uncertainty, insecurity, and disorientation. Other emotions such as anger, depression, hopelessness, shame, or grief may also become involved following a serious diagnosis. The adverse impact of stress on health and immune function is well-established, as well as its link to depression and anxiety. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has demonstrated efficacy in treating anxiety, depression, and PTSD. This study tests its effectiveness in reducing negative emotional symptoms in general, and fear of recurrence in particular, among individuals previously diagnosed with melanoma and currently in remission.
Detailed description
Serious medical diagnosis frequently induce fear focused on specific anticipations or generalized anxiety, along with uncertainty, insecurity, and disorientation. Other emotions such as anger, depression, hopelessness, shame, or grief may also become involved following a serious diagnosis. The adverse impact of stress on health and immune function is well-established, as well as its link to depression and anxiety. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has demonstrated efficacy in treating anxiety, depression, and PTSD. This study tests its effectiveness in reducing negative emotional symptoms in general, and fear of recurrence in particular, among individuals previously diagnosed with melanoma and currently in remission.
Specifically, the study aims:
- To assess the effect of instruction and practice of EFT on illness perception, fear of cancer recurrence, and wellbeing.
- To assess whether the social support provided by EFT instruction in a group setting makes this efficient mode of implementation non-inferior or even beneficial in comparison to personal instruction.
- To describe the emotions related to life events reported by patients in connection with the appearance and location of melanoma.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Individual EFT Therapy | Experimental | Behavioral: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)Personal EFT instruction and practice group |
| Group EFT Therapy | Experimental | Behavioral: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)Group EFT instruction and practice group |
| Wait List | No intervention | –Wait list control group |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Melanoma diagnosis over six months prior to the study; confirmed by clinical, dermoscopic examination and pathology results
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- In active treatment for melanoma
- schizophrenia
- epilepsy
- other malignant disease
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)EFT is an efficacious method demonstrated in over 100 clinical trials. It combines cognitive and exposure techniques with acupressure, in the form of fingertip percussion on acupuncture meridian points. | Behavioural | Group EFT Therapy, Individual EFT Therapy |
Primary outcome
Illness perception
Time frame: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Change in score on Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R)
Perception of recurrence
Time frame: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Change of perceived recurrence risk on a Likert scale
5 secondary outcomes
Other physical symptoms
Time frame: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Depression
Time frame: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Anxiety
Time frame: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Patient's self-report of quality of life
Time frame: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Wellbeing
Time frame: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 Apr 2026.
- Results publication: PubMed 40565447Lazarov A, Church D, Shidlo N, Benyamini Y. The Effectiveness of Group and Individual Training in Emotional Freedom Techniques for Patients in Remission from Melanoma: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Jun 13;13(12):1420. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13121420.
- Related InfoLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. An anonymized data file will be made available to any other qualified investigator who requests it.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Yael Benyamini, PhD study director
Tel Aviv University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) in people with Melanoma (Skin), run by Soul Medicine Institute at 1 site in Israel.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Israel. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Illness perception (time frame: Pre intervention, post 4 week intervention, and 3 month follow-up). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05421988, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Apr 2026.