Objective To observe the effects of auricular electroacupuncture on behavior, gastric emptying rate and expression of tyrosine kinase receptor (c-Kit) and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) in gastric sinus tissues of rats with diabetic gastroparesis (DGP), and to investigate the mechanism of auricular electroacupuncture to improve gastric emptying and depression-like behavior in DGP rats. Methods: Thirty-six SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, auricular electroacupuncture group and sham auricular acupuncture group, with 9 rats in each group. The control group was injected intraperitoneally with sodium citrate buffer, and the remaining three groups were injected with streptozotocin (STZ)-sodium citrate buffer. The treatment was continued for 6 weeks, followed by electro-acupuncture of bilateral auricular points "stomach" once a day for 5 days a week for 2 weeks in the auricular electroacupuncture group, and acupuncture of the earlobe without electricity in the sham auricular acupuncture group. After the treatment, the behavioral and gastric emptying rates were measured and the protein and mRNA levels of CRF and c-kit were respectively detected by WB and qRT-PCR in gastric sinus tissue. Results: In the Open Field test, the entries into the central area (CE), the percentage of time entering the central area (CT%) and the percentage of distance entering the central area (CD%) were significantly lower in the model group compared with the control group (all P<0.05), and CE, CT% and CD% were significantly higher in the auricular electroacupuncture group compared with the model group (all P<0.05); in the Forced Swimming test, the percentage of floating time (FT%) was significantly higher in the model group compared with the control group (P<0.05), and FT% were significantly lower in the auricular electroacupuncture group compared with the model group (P<0.05); compared with the control group, the gastric emptying rate of rats in the model group was significantly lower, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of CRF in the gastric sinus were significantly higher (P<0.05), and the mRNA and protein expression levels of c-Kit were significantly lower (P<0.05); compared with the model group and the sham auricular acupuncture group, the gastric emptying rate of rats in the auricular acupuncture group was significantly higher, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of CRF in the gastric sinus were significantly lower (P<0.05), and the mRNA and protein expression levels of c-Kit were significantly higher (P<0.05). Conclusion: Low-frequency auricular electroacupuncture can improve gastric motility and depression-like behavior in diabetic gastroparesis rats, and its mechanism may be related to regulating the expression of related factors in gastric antrum tissue.