The Effect of Emotional Freedom Technique on Depression, Anxiety and Distress of Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis

Volunteers over the age of 18 who applied to the Neurology Outpatient Clinic of Dokuz Eylül University Hospital, who were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the last three months, one month after the initiation of treatment and accepted the study, will be included in the study after their eligibility to the sampling criteria is evaluated. EDSS will be applied to the individuals by the specialist physician and they will be directed to the MS daycare unit. Since it is a randomized controlled experimental study, the sampling and follow-up measurements will be carried out by a psychologist in the unit where the study is applied, who does not carry out EFT. Scales will be applied in the daily unit and will be randomly divided into two groups at the beginning of the study. The psychologist who chooses the sampling will not know which group the participants will fall into, and the EFT practitioner will not know the anxiety, depression and psychological distress levels of the individuals participating in the study. EFT will be applied to one of the groups, and the other group will continue their routine treatment. Individuals with multiple sclerosis in the experimental group seven days at intervals, six sessions in which one session lasts 30-45 minutes will be included in the EFT application. SUDS will be applied before and after each EFT session. At the same time, resting heart rate and blood pressure will be measured in the EFT group before and after each session. Depression, anxiety and psychological distress levels of individuals with MS will be evaluated with HAD and SUDS at the beginning of the study, at the end of six sessions and in the first month.