Emotion-focused therapy for distress-based psychopathology in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

IF 3 1区心理学 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Psychotherapy Research Pub Date : 2026-04-19 DOI:10.1080/10503307.2026.2650152

D Drew Whittington, Mahdieh Jafari, Nicholas C Borgogna

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective: In the current study, we review and meta-analyze the existing clinical trials of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) for treating a wide variety of distress-based forms of psychopathology, including depression, generalized anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and borderline personality symptomology.

Method: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing published clinical trials through April 2025 of EFT for distress-based dysfunction.

Results: We located 13 existing articles (n = 348 participants receiving EFT; 201 receiving control) that met inclusion criteria. Most studies examined EFT for depression, while a significant number measured anxiety as an outcome, and two examined PTSD symptoms. EFT significantly outperformed inactive controls (g = 1.39, 95% CI = [1.06, 1.72]) but not other psychotherapies (g = .28, 95% CI = [-.19, .76]). Limitations of the existing research include evidence of publication bias and a strong focus on women and White/Iranian populations. Additionally, the quality of existing research is largely poor with varying methodological problems, including small sample sizes, inadequate randomization, and failure to account for dropouts.

Conclusion: EFT appears to be modestly effective for the examined concerns. Future researchers should prioritize examining EFT with more methodologically rigorous designs in more culturally and gender diverse populations.

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以情绪为中心的治疗成人痛苦精神病理：系统回顾和荟萃分析。

目的：在本研究中，我们回顾并荟萃分析了情绪聚焦疗法（EFT）治疗各种基于痛苦的精神病理的临床试验，包括抑郁症、广泛性焦虑、创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）和边缘型人格症状。方法：我们对截至2025年4月已发表的EFT治疗痛苦性功能障碍的临床试验进行了系统回顾和荟萃分析。结果：我们找到了13篇符合纳入标准的现有文章（n = 348名接受EFT的参与者；201名接受对照组）。大多数研究检查了EFT对抑郁症的影响，而相当数量的研究将焦虑作为结果，还有两项研究检查了PTSD症状。EFT显着优于非活动对照组（g = 1.39, 95% CI =[1.06, 1.72]），但其他心理治疗没有(g =。28, 95% ci =[-.19, .76])。现有研究的局限性包括出版物偏倚的证据和对妇女和白人/伊朗人口的强烈关注。此外，现有研究的质量很大程度上很差，存在各种方法上的问题，包括样本量小、随机化不足以及未能解释退出。结论：EFT似乎对所检查的关注点适度有效。未来的研究人员应该优先考虑在更多文化和性别多样化的人群中使用更严格的方法设计来检查EFT。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Psychotherapy Research PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

CiteScore

7.80

自引率

10.30%

发文量

期刊介绍： Psychotherapy Research seeks to enhance the development, scientific quality, and social relevance of psychotherapy research and to foster the use of research findings in practice, education, and policy formulation. The Journal publishes reports of original research on all aspects of psychotherapy, including its outcomes, its processes, education of practitioners, and delivery of services. It also publishes methodological, theoretical, and review articles of direct relevance to psychotherapy research. The Journal is addressed to an international, interdisciplinary audience and welcomes submissions dealing with diverse theoretical orientations, treatment modalities.