Nursing StudentNCT07505017
A Positive Psychodrama Intervention to Improve Psychological Well-Being in University Students
A study testing Psychodrama group therapy in people with Nursing Student and Psychotherapy, Group, run by Ministry of Health, Turkey at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Psychological well-being has been conceptualized as the realization of one's potential, the ability to establish meaningful relationships, the capacity to utilize environmental opportunities in line with personal goals, self-direction, and the development of positive self-esteem. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Nursing Student, Psychotherapy, Group, Pediatric Nursing
- What is being tested?
- Psychodrama group therapy
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 25 Jan 2024to 25 Jun 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Being an undergraduate nursing student enrolled in the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences.
- Providing voluntary informed consent after being informed about the aims and procedures of the study.
- Signing the group contract
Who cannot join
- Personally knowing the group leader or co-leader.
- Reporting inability to participate in all assessment phases (T1: Pre-test, T2: Post-test, T3: Follow-up test).
- Self-reporting the use of psychiatric medication or currently receiving clinical psychiatric treatment.
- Indicating that the scheduled session days and times are not suitable (these participants are assigned to the control group after providing informed consent).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Erenköy Mental and Nervous Diseases Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul, Ümraniye, 34760
About this study
Psychological well-being has been conceptualized as the realization of one's potential, the ability to establish meaningful relationships, the capacity to utilize environmental opportunities in line with personal goals, self-direction, and the development of positive self-esteem. Within contemporary educational frameworks, student development is supported not only through instructional services but also through student personal development services, which contribute to identity formation. Psychodrama, as an action-oriented group intervention, aims to enhance psychological well-being through techniques such as enactment, cognitive processing, catharsis, surplus reality, mirroring, confrontation, empathy development, and role flexibility. Previous studies have demonstrated the application of psychodrama across various domains, including reducing anxiety, alleviating hopelessness, enhancing self-esteem, improving communication and social skills, addressing crises and addiction, coping with depressive symptoms and chronic illness, and supporting mental health.
The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of psychodrama as a psychoeducational intervention on psychological well-being, self-esteem, self-compassion, empathy, and affective awareness among undergraduate nursing students in Turkey. The study will be conducted with students enrolled in a nursing faculty, specifically those who have taken the pediatric nursing theoretical course and are preparing to begin their clinical practicum.
Read more
This study is designed as a randomized controlled trial. Participants will be recruited from second- and third-year nursing students and will be informed about the study prior to voluntary participation. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group (maximum of 20 participants per group). The experimental group will participate in a structured psychodrama program consisting of 10 sessions, conducted twice weekly, each session lasting approximately two hours. The sessions will be facilitated by a certified psychodramatist and a co-therapist under supervision. The control group will receive no intervention.
Data will be collected at three time points: baseline (pre-test), post-intervention, and a 2-month follow-up. In the pre-, post-, and follow-up assessments, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), PERMA Profiler, Basic Empathy Scale (BES), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS), and the HEXACO Personality Inventory will be administered.
The instruments used in this study also include a sociodemographic questionnaire (11 items). In addition, qualitative data will be collected through post-session interviews with participants in the psychodrama group to explore their experiences.
Based on existing empirical evidence and the limited number of studies conducted with nursing students, particularly in pediatric nursing contexts, this study aims to contribute to the literature by examining the effects of psychodrama group interventions on developmental outcomes, self-compassion, self-esteem, well-being, affective awareness, and empathy levels among nursing students.
It is hypothesized that there will be statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups in terms of these outcome variables (H1). Furthermore, it is expected that the positive effects of the psychodrama intervention on these variables will be sustained over time, indicating long-term effectiveness (H2). Beyond hypothesis testing, the findings are anticipated to provide practical implications for the design and implementation of psychodrama-based interventions in academic settings.
- Conditions
- Nursing Student, Psychotherapy, Group, Pediatric Nursing, Nursing Education, Self Esteem, Well Being
- Being tested
- Psychodrama group therapy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Psychodrama group therapyBehavioural
The intervention consisted of a structured, manualized psychodrama program delivered in a group format. The program included 10 sessions conducted weekly, each lasting approximately 120-150 minutes. Sessions were facilitated by a certified psychodramatist under the supervision of an accredited psychodrama trainer. The intervention incorporated core psychodrama techniques such as role-playing, role reversal, mirroring, doubling, and enactment to enhance emotional expression, empathy, and self-awareness. The program followed a standardized session structure including warm-up, action, and sharing phases, ensuring consistency across sessions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group | Experimental | The experimental group comprises 20 students who attend 10 weekly psychodrama sessions, each lasting approximately 120-150 minutes. The sessions are conducted by a certified psychodramatist under the supervision of an accredited trainer. Outcome measures are administered at baseline (pre-test), immediately post-intervention, and at a 2-month follow-up. In the pre-, post-, and follow-up assessments, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), PERMA Profiler, Basic Empathy Scale (BES), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS), and the HEXACO Personality Inventory are used. Receives: Behavioral: Psychodrama group therapy |
| Control Group | No intervention | The control group comprises 20 students and does not receive any intervention during the study period. Outcome measures are administered at the same time points as in the experimental group, including baseline (pre-test), post-test, and a 2-month follow-up. In the pre-, post-, and follow-up assessments, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), PERMA Profiler, Basic Empathy Scale (BES), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS), and the HEXACO Personality Inventory are used. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)
The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) is used to assess individuals' levels of positive (e.g., enthusiasm, alertness) and negative (e.g., distress, irritability) affect. It provides a measure of emotional well-being and allows for the evaluation of changes in affective states over time.
Measured: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention) , and after 2 months (follow-up test)
Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS)
The Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS) measures the extent to which individuals are susceptible to others' emotions. It assesses emotional responsiveness and the tendency to "catch" others' emotional states.
Measured: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention), and after 2 months (follow-up test)
Self-Compassion Scale (SCS)
The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) is used to evaluate individuals' level of self-compassion. It includes components such as self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, and mindfulness.
Measured: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention), and after 2 months (follow-up test)
Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale is employed to measure global self-esteem. It assesses individuals' overall evaluation of their self-worth, including both positive and negative self-perceptions.
Measured: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention), and after 2 months (follow-up test)
PERMA Profiler
The PERMA Profiler is utilized to evaluate psychological well-being within the framework of positive psychology. It measures five core dimensions: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment.
Measured: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention), and after 2 months (follow-up test)
Basic Empathy Scale (BES)
The Basic Empathy Scale (BES) is used to assess individuals' empathy levels. It evaluates both cognitive empathy (the ability to understand others' emotions) and affective empathy (the ability to share others' emotional experiences).
Measured: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention), and after 2 months (follow-up test)
HEXACO Personality Inventory
The HEXACO Personality Inventory is used to assess personality traits based on a six-factor model: Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience.
Measured: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention), and after 2 months (follow-up test)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Apr 2026
- Study start25 Jan 2024
- Primary completion25 Apr 2024
- Study completion25 Jun 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Nursing StudentStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- This study is designed as a randomized, parallel-group controlled trial. Participants will be randomly allocated to either the psychodrama intervention group or a no-intervention control group. The intervention consists of 10 structured psychodrama sessions delivered twice weekly. Outcome assessments will be conducted at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at a 2-month follow-up.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Ministry of Health, Turkey
- Sponsor type
- Other government
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Müzeyyen Beste Sermet, Ministry of Health, Turkey
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07505017
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Decision No: 11, January, 2024
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 18 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 1 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Positive Psychodrama Intervention to Improve Psychological Well-Being in University Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07505017
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Decision No: 11, January, 2024
- Conditions
- Nursing Student, Psychotherapy, Group, Pediatric Nursing, Nursing Education, Self Esteem, Well Being
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Ministry of Health, TurkeyOther government
- Study start
- 25 Jan 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 25 Apr 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 25 Jun 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 1 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Psychological well-being has been conceptualized as the realization of one's potential, the ability to establish meaningful relationships, the capacity to utilize environmental opportunities in line with personal goals, self-direction, and the development of positive self-esteem. Within contemporary educational frameworks, student development is supported not only through instructional services but also through student personal development services, which contribute to identity formation. Psychodrama, as an action-oriented group intervention, aims to enhance psychological well-being through techniques such as enactment, cognitive processing, catharsis, surplus reality, mirroring, confrontation, empathy development, and role flexibility. Previous studies have demonstrated the application of psychodrama across various domains, including reducing anxiety, alleviating hopelessness, enhancing self-esteem, improving communication and social skills, addressing crises and addiction, coping with depressive symptoms and chronic illness, and supporting mental health.
The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of psychodrama as a psychoeducational intervention on psychological well-being, self-esteem, self-compassion, empathy, and affective awareness among undergraduate nursing students in Turkey. The study will be conducted with students enrolled in a nursing faculty, specifically those who have taken the pediatric nursing theoretical course and are preparing to begin their clinical practicum.
This study is designed as a randomized controlled trial. Participants will be recruited from second- and third-year nursing students and will be informed about the study prior to voluntary participation. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group (maximum of 20 participants per group). The experimental group will participate in a structured psychodrama program consisting of 10 sessions, conducted twice weekly, each session lasting approximately two hours. The sessions will be facilitated by a certified psychodramatist and a co-therapist under supervision. The control group will receive no intervention.
Data will be collected at three time points: baseline (pre-test), post-intervention, and a 2-month follow-up. In the pre-, post-, and follow-up assessments, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), PERMA Profiler, Basic Empathy Scale (BES), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS), and the HEXACO Personality Inventory will be administered.
The instruments used in this study also include a sociodemographic questionnaire (11 items). In addition, qualitative data will be collected through post-session interviews with participants in the psychodrama group to explore their experiences.
Based on existing empirical evidence and the limited number of studies conducted with nursing students, particularly in pediatric nursing contexts, this study aims to contribute to the literature by examining the effects of psychodrama group interventions on developmental outcomes, self-compassion, self-esteem, well-being, affective awareness, and empathy levels among nursing students.
It is hypothesized that there will be statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups in terms of these outcome variables (H1). Furthermore, it is expected that the positive effects of the psychodrama intervention on these variables will be sustained over time, indicating long-term effectiveness (H2). Beyond hypothesis testing, the findings are anticipated to provide practical implications for the design and implementation of psychodrama-based interventions in academic settings.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- This study is designed as a randomized, parallel-group controlled trial. Participants will be randomly allocated to either the psychodrama intervention group or a no-intervention control group. The intervention consists of 10 structured psychodrama sessions delivered twice weekly. Outcome assessments will be conducted at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at a 2-month follow-up.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group | Experimental | Behavioral: Psychodrama group therapyThe experimental group comprises 20 students who attend 10 weekly psychodrama sessions, each lasting approximately 120-150 minutes. The sessions are conducted by a certified psychodramatist under the supervision of an accredited trainer. Outcome measures are administered at baseline (pre-test), immediately post-intervention, and at a 2-month follow-up. In the pre-, post-, and follow-up assessments, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), PERMA Profiler, Basic Empathy Scale (BES), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS), and the HEXACO Personality Inventory are used. |
| Control Group | No intervention | –The control group comprises 20 students and does not receive any intervention during the study period. Outcome measures are administered at the same time points as in the experimental group, including baseline (pre-test), post-test, and a 2-month follow-up. In the pre-, post-, and follow-up assessments, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), PERMA Profiler, Basic Empathy Scale (BES), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS), and the HEXACO Personality Inventory are used. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Being an undergraduate nursing student enrolled in the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences.
- Providing voluntary informed consent after being informed about the aims and procedures of the study.
- Signing the group contract
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Personally knowing the group leader or co-leader.
- Reporting inability to participate in all assessment phases (T1: Pre-test, T2: Post-test, T3: Follow-up test).
- Self-reporting the use of psychiatric medication or currently receiving clinical psychiatric treatment.
- Indicating that the scheduled session days and times are not suitable (these participants are assigned to the control group after providing informed consent).
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Psychodrama group therapyThe intervention consisted of a structured, manualized psychodrama program delivered in a group format. The program included 10 sessions conducted weekly, each lasting approximately 120-150 minutes. Sessions were facilitated by a certified psychodramatist under the supervision of an accredited psychodrama trainer. The intervention incorporated core psychodrama techniques such as role-playing, role reversal, mirroring, doubling, and enactment to enhance emotional expression, empathy, and self-awareness. The program followed a standardized session structure including warm-up, action, and sharing phases, ensuring consistency across sessions. | Behavioural | Intervention group |
Primary outcome
Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)
Time frame: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention) , and after 2 months (follow-up test)
The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) is used to assess individuals' levels of positive (e.g., enthusiasm, alertness) and negative (e.g., distress, irritability) affect. It provides a measure of emotional well-being and allows for the evaluation of changes in affective states over time.
Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS)
Time frame: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention), and after 2 months (follow-up test)
The Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS) measures the extent to which individuals are susceptible to others' emotions. It assesses emotional responsiveness and the tendency to "catch" others' emotional states.
Self-Compassion Scale (SCS)
Time frame: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention), and after 2 months (follow-up test)
The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) is used to evaluate individuals' level of self-compassion. It includes components such as self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, and mindfulness.
Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
Time frame: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention), and after 2 months (follow-up test)
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale is employed to measure global self-esteem. It assesses individuals' overall evaluation of their self-worth, including both positive and negative self-perceptions.
PERMA Profiler
Time frame: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention), and after 2 months (follow-up test)
The PERMA Profiler is utilized to evaluate psychological well-being within the framework of positive psychology. It measures five core dimensions: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment.
Basic Empathy Scale (BES)
Time frame: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention), and after 2 months (follow-up test)
The Basic Empathy Scale (BES) is used to assess individuals' empathy levels. It evaluates both cognitive empathy (the ability to understand others' emotions) and affective empathy (the ability to share others' emotional experiences).
HEXACO Personality Inventory
Time frame: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention), and after 2 months (follow-up test)
The HEXACO Personality Inventory is used to assess personality traits based on a six-factor model: Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 Apr 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Psychodrama group therapy in people with Nursing Student and Psychotherapy, Group, run by Ministry of Health, Turkey at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) (time frame: pre-test, post-test (10 weeks after pre-test-immediately after the intervention) , and after 2 months (follow-up test)). The study lists 7 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Apr 2026.