AnxietyNCT07257354
Reducing Examination Anxiety Through Emotional Freedom Techniques: A Randomized Controlled Trial Among Somali Students
A study testing Emotional Freedom Technique and Breath Group in people with Anxiety and Emotional Freedom Techniques, run by Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This study aims to determine the effects of the Emotional Freedom Technique applied before exams on coping with stress and anxiety. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Anxiety, Emotional Freedom Techniques
- What is being tested?
- Emotional Freedom Technique and Breath Group
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 62 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 21 Sep 2022to 15 Nov 2022
- 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 Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Turkish proficiency, willingness to participate in the study voluntarily
Who cannot join
- The student has coordination and language problems, any diagnosed psychiatric disorder or epilepsy
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
This study aims to determine the effects of the Emotional Freedom Technique applied before exams on coping with stress and anxiety.
Read the detailed description
This experimental randomized controlled trial assigned participants to two groups: the EFT Group (n=31) and the Breathing Group (n=31). Each group received two intervention sessions, held one week apart, prior to the midterm exams. Final assessments were conducted one week after the exams. Data collection tools included the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety to measure anxiety levels, and the Coping Styles with Stress Scale.
- Conditions
- Anxiety, Emotional Freedom Techniques
- Being tested
- Emotional Freedom Technique, Breath Group
- Keywords
- Emotional Freedom Techniques, Stress coping, Exam anxiety
- Medical subject headings
- Anxiety Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Emotional Freedom TechniqueOther
The EFT group received two 45-55 minute EFT sessions one week before the exams.
Breath GroupOther
The breathing group received two sessions of 15-20 breathing exercises a week before the exams.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| EFT Group | Experimental | Participants in the intervention group received two 45-55 minute EFT sessions one week before the exam. Receives: Other: Emotional Freedom Technique |
| Breath Group | Experimental | Participants in the comparison group received two sessions of 15-20 minutes of breathing exercises one week before the exam. Receives: Other: Breath Group |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Anxiety
Anxiety levels were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale. Students were asked to indicate their anxiety levels on a 10-cm-long horizontal line. The line begins with a 0 and ends with a 10. A 10 indicates extreme anxiety, while a 0 indicates no anxiety. The VAS scale is frequently used to assess anxiety severity.
Measured: 10 minütes
Stress Coping Styles
The Styles of Coping Scale (SCSS) was used to measure stress coping styles. The scale is a 4-point Likert-type scale, with participants selecting the appropriate option from "not at all appropriate" to "very appropriate." The scale consists of 30 questions and 5 subscales. These subscales are: self-confident approach, optimistic approach, helpless approach, submissive approach, and seeking social support factor. Higher scores on each subscale indicate that the approach in that subscale is used more frequently to cope with stress.
Measured: 10 minütes
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Dec 2025
- Study start21 Sep 2022
- Primary completion22 Oct 2022
- Study completion15 Nov 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for AnxietyStudies 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
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- The study is a randomized controlled trial.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 62 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07257354
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- MSTH/9570
- Status last verified
- Oct 2025
- First submitted
- 20 Nov 2025
- Last updated
- 2 Dec 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Dec 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Reducing Examination Anxiety Through Emotional Freedom Techniques: A Randomized Controlled Trial Among Somali Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07257354
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MSTH/9570
- Conditions
- Anxiety, Emotional Freedom Techniques
- Keywords
- Emotional Freedom Techniques, Stress coping, Exam anxiety
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 62 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Saglik Bilimleri UniversitesiUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 21 Sep 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 22 Oct 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Nov 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 2 Dec 2025 (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.
This study aims to determine the effects of the Emotional Freedom Technique applied before exams on coping with stress and anxiety.
Detailed description
This experimental randomized controlled trial assigned participants to two groups: the EFT Group (n=31) and the Breathing Group (n=31). Each group received two intervention sessions, held one week apart, prior to the midterm exams. Final assessments were conducted one week after the exams. Data collection tools included the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety to measure anxiety levels, and the Coping Styles with Stress Scale.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- The study is a randomized controlled trial.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| EFT Group | Experimental | Other: Emotional Freedom TechniqueParticipants in the intervention group received two 45-55 minute EFT sessions one week before the exam. |
| Breath Group | Experimental | Other: Breath GroupParticipants in the comparison group received two sessions of 15-20 minutes of breathing exercises one week before the exam. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Turkish proficiency, willingness to participate in the study voluntarily
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- The student has coordination and language problems, any diagnosed psychiatric disorder or epilepsy
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 TechniqueThe EFT group received two 45-55 minute EFT sessions one week before the exams. | Other | EFT Group |
| Breath GroupThe breathing group received two sessions of 15-20 breathing exercises a week before the exams. | Other | Breath Group |
Primary outcome
Anxiety
Time frame: 10 minütes
Anxiety levels were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale. Students were asked to indicate their anxiety levels on a 10-cm-long horizontal line. The line begins with a 0 and ends with a 10. A 10 indicates extreme anxiety, while a 0 indicates no anxiety. The VAS scale is frequently used to assess anxiety severity.
Stress Coping Styles
Time frame: 10 minütes
The Styles of Coping Scale (SCSS) was used to measure stress coping styles. The scale is a 4-point Likert-type scale, with participants selecting the appropriate option from "not at all appropriate" to "very appropriate." The scale consists of 30 questions and 5 subscales. These subscales are: self-confident approach, optimistic approach, helpless approach, submissive approach, and seeking social support factor. Higher scores on each subscale indicate that the approach in that subscale is used more frequently to cope with stress.
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 2 Dec 2025.
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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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
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 Technique and Breath Group in people with Anxiety and Emotional Freedom Techniques, run by Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
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 1 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 2 Dec 2025. 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 Turkey (Türkiye). 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?
Anxiety (time frame: 10 minütes). 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?
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 2 Dec 2025; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 30 Oct 2026.