Reflective Mindfulness and Emotional Regulation Training to Enhance Nursing Students' Self-Awareness, Understanding, and Regulation: a Mixed Method Randomized Controlled Trial
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Undergraduate Health Professional Students
- Sponsor
- Alexandria University
- Enrollment
- 40
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Emotion Regulation Questionnaire
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- last year
Overview
Brief Summary
This study assessed the impact of a six-week Reflective Mindfulness and Emotional Regulation Training (RMERT) program on fourth-year nursing students. Using a randomized controlled trial with 40 participants, the intervention group (n=20) received RMERT, while the control group (n=20) continued standard coursework.
Detailed Description
This study evaluated the effectiveness of Reflective Mindfulness and Emotional Regulation Training (RMERT) in enhancing nursing students' self-awareness, emotional understanding, and regulation. Nursing students frequently face significant academic and psychological challenges, particularly in mental health nursing courses, which can lead to stress, anxiety, and compromised well-being. RMERT was designed as a psychoeducational intervention integrating mindfulness and emotional regulation techniques to help students develop critical skills for managing these challenges. Study Design The randomized controlled trial employed a mixed-methods approach and involved 40 fourth-year undergraduate nursing students at Benha University. Participants were randomly allocated into an intervention group (n=20) and a control group (n=20). The intervention group attended a six-week RMERT program, while the control group continued their standard academic activities without additional interventions. Both groups underwent pre- and post-intervention assessments using validated instruments: the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Qualitative data, collected exclusively from the intervention group, were analysed thematically. Intervention The RMERT program consisted of six weekly 90-minute sessions facilitated by researchers trained in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and transactional analysis (TA). The training employed the ABC model of CBT (activating events, beliefs, and consequences) to address maladaptive cognitive patterns, along with TA techniques such as empathic inquiry and reflection. Relaxation strategies, including diaphragmatic breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, were also integrated. The sessions focused on enabling students to reflect on their mental and emotional states, process their feelings, and apply cognitive reappraisal-a healthy emotional regulation strategy-instead of relying on expressive suppression, which is maladaptive.
Investigators
Ayman Mohamed El-Ashry
Lecturer, PhD
Alexandria University
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Students enroled in the psychiatric/mental health nursing course for the first time, i.e., did not enrol in or join similar or the same course before.
- •for example, joined the faculty from the secondary school, not through other paths or bridging educational programs that would include psychiatric/mental health courses/modules as part of their programs
- •did not fail the course before or attended it for more time.
Exclusion Criteria
- Not provided
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Emotion Regulation Questionnaire
Time Frame: 6 weeks
Respondents answer each item on a 7-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). The scoring takes the average of all the scores in each subscale. The higher the score, the greater the use of that strategy and vice-versa.
The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS)
Time Frame: 6 weeks
The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), developed by Brown and Ryan in 2003, is a 15-item self-report instrument designed to measure a fundamental aspect of mindfulness: a receptive and attentive state of awareness focused on the present moment. Respondents rate their experiences using a six-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 ("almost always") to 6 ("rarely"). The MAAS has demonstrated strong psychometric properties and has been validated across diverse populations, including college students, community members, and individuals with cancer. The overall score is calculated as the average of the 15 items, with higher scores reflecting greater mindfulness.