CBT-Based Stress Management Program for Healthcare Students (CBT-SMP)

September 29, 2026 updated by: Kevser Pamuk, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University

Effectiveness of a Cognitive-Behavioral-Based Stress Management Skills Program in Healthcare Students: A Mixed-Methods Study

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral-based stress management skills program for healthcare students. The study will use a mixed-methods design and will include intervention, placebo, and control groups. Approximately 90 healthcare students will participate in the experimental phase. The intervention group will receive a 9-session cognitive-behavioral-based stress management program designed to help students recognize and manage stress, identify dysfunctional thoughts, and develop effective stress management and coping skills. The study will assess changes in perceived stress and coping skills before and after the program and at follow-up. Qualitative interviews and group discussions will also be conducted to explore students' experiences and perceptions of stress management and the program. It is hypothesized that students who participate in the stress management program will show improvements in perceived stress and coping skills compared with students in the placebo and control groups.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study is designed as a nested mixed-methods study to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral-based stress management skills program developed for healthcare students. The study consists of three phases. In the first phase, semi-structured individual interviews will be conducted to explore healthcare students' sources and experiences of stress and their coping strategies. Findings from this qualitative phase will contribute to the development and refinement of the intervention program.

In the second phase, an experimental study will be conducted using intervention, placebo, and control groups. Participants will be assigned to the three groups using computer-supported full randomization. The intervention group will participate in a 9-session cognitive-behavioral-based group program designed to develop stress management and coping skills. The placebo group will participate in a program distinct from the cognitive-behavioral-based intervention, while the control group will not receive an intervention during the study period. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected during this phase. The quantitative assessment will be conducted at three time points: before the intervention, immediately after completion of the intervention, and 12 weeks after the intervention. To reduce potential researcher effects and measurement bias, quantitative data collection will be conducted by a researcher who is independent of the intervention facilitators.

In addition to quantitative assessments, participants in the intervention group will complete a session evaluation form after each session to provide information about the content, implementation process, participant interaction, and perceived benefits of the sessions. In the third phase, a focus group interview will be conducted with students who complete the intervention program to explore their views regarding the content, feasibility, and perceived effectiveness of the program. The qualitative findings obtained throughout the study will be integrated with the quantitative findings to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the intervention.

Qualitative data obtained from the semi-structured interviews, session evaluation forms, and focus group interview will be analyzed using content analysis. Quantitative data will be analyzed using two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance to examine the effects of group and time on perceived stress and coping skills. Appropriate assumption tests and corrections will be applied where necessary. Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses will be used to address potential participant loss or missing data.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
90

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
      • Afyonkarahisar, Turkey (Türkiye)
        • Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing
        • Contact:
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Kevser Pamuk, PhD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Ömer Faruk Akbulut, PhD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Beyza Yavuz, PhD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Be an active student in an associate or undergraduate program at the university.
  • Be willing to participate in the study.
  • Be 18 years of age or older.
  • Have sufficient time to attend all sessions of the program.
  • Agree to complete the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up assessments.
  • Be able to read and write in Turkish.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Have a history of a psychiatric diagnosis (e.g., major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, or psychotic disorder).
  • Be currently receiving psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment.
  • Regularly use psychiatric medication (e.g., antidepressants, antipsychotics, or anxiolytics).
  • Have participated in a similar stress management, mindfulness, or cognitive-behavioral-based training/program within the previous 6 months.
  • Be unable to attend the sessions regularly (e.g., due to prolonged absence or being away from the city).
  • Have a condition that interferes with communication (e.g., hearing, visual, or speech impairment).
  • Decline participation after randomization.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Cognitive-Behavioral-Based Stress Management Skills Program

Participants in this arm will receive a 9-session cognitive-behavioral-based stress management skills program designed to improve stress management and coping skills. The sessions will be conducted as a structured group intervention in accordance with the study protocol.
Behavioral: Cognitive-Behavioral-Based Stress Management Skills Program

A 9-session cognitive-behavioral-based stress management skills program designed for health sciences students. The program is delivered as a structured group intervention and aims to improve participants' stress management and coping skills. Each session is conducted in accordance with the study protocol.
Placebo Comparator: Group Interaction and Guidance Activities

Participants in this arm will participate in group guidance activities that are not directly related to stress management but are designed to increase awareness of general social and life skills. The sessions will involve structured group activities and group interaction and will be conducted in accordance with the study protocol.
Other: Group Interaction and Guidance Activities

Participants in this arm will participate in group guidance activities that are not directly related to stress management but are designed to increase awareness of general social and life skills. The sessions will involve structured group activities and group interaction and will be conducted in accordance with the study protocol.
No Intervention: No Intervention Control Group

Participants in this arm will not receive any intervention during the intervention period and will only participate in the scheduled outcome assessments. After completion of the data collection process, participants in the control group will be offered the cognitive-behavioral-based stress management skills program in accordance with the ethical principles of the study.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Perceived Stress Level
Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after the intervention, and 12 weeks after the intervention

Perceived Stress Scale (PSS): Perceived stress levels will be assessed using the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale developed by Cohen et al. (1983) and adapted into Turkish by Eskin et al. (2013). Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (very often). The total score ranges from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating higher levels of perceived stress and therefore a worse outcome. The scale consists of two subdimensions: inadequate self-efficacy perception and perception of stress/distress. Items 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 13 are reverse scored.
Baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after the intervention, and 12 weeks after the intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Stress Coping Skills
Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after the intervention, and 12 weeks after the intervention

Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations-Short Form: Coping strategies for dealing with stress will be assessed using the 21-item Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations-Short Form developed by Endler and Parker (1999) and adapted into Turkish by Boysan (2012). Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all like me) to 5 (entirely like me). The total score ranges from 21 to 105. The scale consists of three subdimensions: problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and avoidant coping. Higher scores on each subscale indicate a higher level of the corresponding coping strategy.
Baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after the intervention, and 12 weeks after the intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Kevser Pamuk, PhD, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 20, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 23, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 29, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 1, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 1, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 29, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • AfyonkarahisarHSU-KPAMUK-2
  • 26.GENEL.022 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers because no plan for sharing individual participant data was established in the study protocol.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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