Emotional Freedom Technique

The Effect of Emotional Freedom Technique Applied to High-Risk Pregnant Women on Anxiety and Postpartum Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial to examine the effect of the Emotional Freedom Technique on preoperative anxiety and postpartum depression in high-risk pregnant women who had decided to undergo planned cesarean delivery. Data were collected from women diagnosed with high-risk pregnancy who had made the decision for planned cesarean delivery in the last trimester of pregnancy. In the Emotional Freedom Technique group, the technique was applied during the preoperative period, while the standard care group received only standard care. The study was completed with 30 women in the Emotional Freedom Technique group and 32 women in the standard care group. The "Pregnant Introductory Information Form," the "State-Trait Anxiety Inventory," and the "Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale" were used as data collection tools. Pre-test and post-test applications of the scales were performed, and on the 21st day postpartum, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was administered. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, paired samples t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analyses were used.

Participants meeting the following criteria will be included in the study:

Identified as at-risk pregnancies according to the Ministry of Health Risk Assessment Form,

Able to speak and understand Turkish,

Aged between 18 and 45 years,

Have a planned cesarean delivery decision,

Have a gestational age of 36 weeks or more,

Have a State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-State) mean score of 37 or higher,

Voluntarily agree to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria

Participants meeting any of the following criteria will be excluded from the study:

Pregnant women evaluated between March 1, 2024 and September 30, 2024 at Ankara Etlik City Hospital, Perinatology Clinic, who decline voluntary participation,

Pregnant women classified as low-risk according to the Ministry of Health Risk Assessment Form,

Younger than 18 years or older than 45 years,

Those who undergo vaginal delivery,

Pregnant women with a gestational age of 35 weeks or less,

Those with a State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-State) mean score of 36 or lower,

Pregnant women with any psychiatric disorder or diagnosis,

Those unable to speak or understand Turkish,

Participants who withdraw from the study at any stage at their own request.