The Effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques Application on Patients With Cancer Phobia

The aim is to examine the effect of Emotional Freedom Technique on death anxiety in patients with postoperative cancer phobia.

The hypotheses of the study are as follows:

H0: Emotional Freedom Technique has no effect on postoperative death anxiety in patients with cancer phobia.

H1: Emotional Freedom Technique has a positive effect on postoperative death anxiety in patients with cancer phobia.

Completed

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Key information

Conditions

Postoperative Complications Behavior Death Anxiety Emotion Regulation Emotional Regulation Necrophobia Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Pathophobia Self-Control Social Behavior

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Bitlis Eren University

Bitlis, 13100, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

Intervention Group

After coming to the clinic after surgery and after their condition was stable, the patients were given the patient introduction form, subjective discomfort unit, cancer anxiety scale and death anxiety scale as a pre-test. The researchers provided Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) training to the patients and asked them to apply Emotional Freedom Technique. After an average of 3 days, the subjective discomfort unit, cancer anxiety scale and death anxiety scale were applied as a post-test.

Control Group

After coming to the clinic after surgery and after their condition was stable, the patient introduction form, subjective discomfort unit, cancer anxiety scale and death anxiety scale were applied as a pre-test. No intervention was made to the control group patients outside the clinical protocol. After an average of 3 days, the subjective discomfort unit, cancer anxiety scale and death anxiety scale were applied as a post-test.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Being over 18 years of age,
Having had oncological surgery,
Having no visual or auditory problems,
Having no psychiatric problems.

Exclusion criteria

Not accepting to participate in the study or wanting to leave,
Being under 18 years of age,
Having been previously diagnosed with cancer.

Treatment and study plan

Emotional Freedom Technique

Other

Emotional Freedom Technique application; It is an application that works on cognitive and energetic levels. Emotional Freedom Technique Application Instructions

Determination of Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD)
Preparation or setup
Application of appropriate acupuncture points in order
9-Gamut: An application that allows the two hemispheres of the brain to be stimulated simultaneously
Application of appropriate acupuncture points in order again
Control of the differentiation in the level of discomfort with Subjective Units of Disturbance again

Primary outcomes

death anxiety

Time frame: After coming to the clinic after surgery and their condition becoming stable, the death anxiety scale was applied to the patients as a pre-test. Three days later, the death anxiety scale was applied as a post-test.

Death Anxiety Scale:

The scale developed by Templer was translated into Turkish by Sarıkaya and Baloğlu. The scale consists of 20 items. High scores indicate high death anxiety.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Bitlis Eren University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor Şerafettin OKUTAN, Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bitlis Eren University

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Feb 10, 2025
Registry last updated: Jan 5, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed