Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2011 Mar;42(1):81-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2010.07.002. Epub 2010 Jul 21.
Meridian-tapping (MT) is a body-oriented therapeutic technique which among other psychological problems targets anxiety disorders. Despite bold claims by some of its advocates that it brings lasting success in the vast majority of patients with anxiety disorders, solid empirical evidence for its effectiveness is scarce and its theoretical foundations are refuted by many scientists. The present study tested the effectiveness of a published MT self-help approach for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Following a baseline assessment over the internet including standard outcome measures for OCD (Y-BOCS, OCI-R) and depression (BDI-SF), 70 participants with OCD were randomly allocated to MT or to progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Four weeks after the dispatch of the self-help manuals (including video demonstrations of the technique), participants were requested to take part in a post assessment. Whereas subjects found MT more helpful than PMR in retrospect (39% versus 19%) and would continue to use it in the future (72% versus 48%) there was no evidence for a stronger decline of OCD symptoms under MT on any of the psychometric measures. Moreover, Y-BOCS scores did not significantly change across time for both interventions. The present study does not support bold claims about the effectiveness of MT as a stand-alone technique. Cognitive-behavioral therapy remains the treatment of choice for OCD. While self-help MT may enhance the well-being of a subgroup of participants, its potential for OCD appears to be small. Exaggerated success claims on the effectiveness of MT in conjunction with degrading appraisals of conventional psychotherapy as made by some of its leading figures may in our view foster fatalism in patients not experiencing major symptom relief by MT.
针刺经络（MT）是一种身体导向的治疗技术，除了其他心理问题外，还针对焦虑症。尽管一些支持者大胆宣称，它在绝大多数焦虑症患者中带来了持久的成功，但对于其有效性的坚实实证证据却很少，其理论基础也受到许多科学家的驳斥。本研究测试了一种已发表的 MT 自助方法治疗强迫症（OCD）的有效性。在通过互联网进行基线评估后，包括 OCD 的标准结果测量（Y-BOCS、OCI-R）和抑郁（BDI-SF），70 名 OCD 患者被随机分配到 MT 或渐进性肌肉松弛（PMR）组。在发送自助手册（包括技术视频演示）四周后，要求参与者参加后续评估。尽管从回顾性角度来看，参与者发现 MT 比 PMR 更有帮助（39%对 19%），并且将来会继续使用它（72%对 48%），但在任何心理测量措施上，MT 并没有显示出 OCD 症状明显减轻的证据。此外，两种干预措施的 Y-BOCS 评分在整个时间内均无显著变化。本研究不支持关于 MT 作为独立技术有效性的大胆宣称。认知行为疗法仍然是 OCD 的首选治疗方法。虽然自助 MT 可能会增强一部分参与者的幸福感，但它对 OCD 的潜力似乎很小。一些 MT 领军人物对其有效性的过分成功宣称，以及对传统心理治疗的贬低评价，可能会在我们看来，助长那些没有通过 MT 获得主要症状缓解的患者的宿命论。
