Changes in Anxiety Following Spiritual Emotional Freedom Technique (SEFT) Among Women Flood Survivors in Pidie Jaya

Flood disasters cause not only physical and economic losses but also psychological consequences for survivors, including anxiety. This study aimed to examine changes in anxiety following participation in the Spiritual Emotional Freedom Technique (SEFT) among women flood survivors in Pidie Jaya. A quantitative approach with a one-group pretest–posttest design was employed. Participants were 18 women flood survivors in Pidie Jaya who were selected through purposive sampling based on the study eligibility criteria. Anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory–Trait (STAI-T), and pretest–posttest scores were analyzed using a paired-samples t-test. The mean anxiety score decreased from 40.94 (SD = 6.80) at pretest to 39.11 (SD = 6.04) at posttest, with a statistically significant difference, t(17) = 2.140, p = .047. The within-subject effect size was moderate (Cohen’s dz = 0.50). Although anxiety scores decreased, the mean reduction of 1.83 points was insufficient to establish the clinical meaningfulness of the change. These findings indicate a within-group change in anxiety following participation in SEFT; however, the absence of a control group limits causal interpretation. Future studies should employ controlled designs, measures that are more sensitive to short-term changes in anxiety, and indicators of clinically meaningful change to strengthen the interpretation of the findings.