The Effectiveness of Comic-based Learning Materials on Nursing Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Confidence in Dementia Care

November 2, 2026 updated by: Taipei Medical University

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of comic-based dementia care educational materials in improving nursing students' knowledge, attitudes, and confidence in dementia care. A total of 84 nursing students will be recruited from a university in northern Taiwan and randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving comic-based educational materials or a control group receiving text-based educational materials. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and one month after the intervention.

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

The increasing prevalence of dementia highlights the importance of preparing nursing students with adequate dementia care knowledge, positive attitudes, and confidence. Although various educational interventions have been implemented, limitations remain in their accessibility and dissemination. Comic-based educational materials may offer an accessible and engaging approach to dementia education; however, evidence regarding their effectiveness remains limited.

A randomized controlled trial will be conducted among 84 nursing students recruited through convenience sampling from Taipei Medical University. After providing written informed consent and completing baseline assessments, participants will be randomly assigned to two parallel groups using block randomization with a block size of four. The allocation sequence will be prepared by an independent individual not involved in recruitment or intervention delivery. Assignments will be concealed in sequentially numbered, opaque envelopes and opened in enrollment order.

The experimental group will read a researcher-developed comic-based dementia care handbook, while the control group will read printed text-based educational materials covering the same content. Both groups will study independently in a quiet classroom for 60 minutes, after which materials will be collected to minimize contamination.

Dementia knowledge will be assessed using the Traditional Chinese version of the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale (DKAS-TC), attitudes toward dementia using the Chinese version of the Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS-C), and confidence in dementia care using the Taiwanese version of the Confidence in Dementia Scale (CODE-TW). These outcomes will be assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and one month after the intervention. Learning materials satisfaction will be assessed immediately after the intervention.

Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square tests, and generalized estimating equations (GEE).

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.
84

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.

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

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Nursing students aged 18 to 65 years.
  2. Have not previously completed any dementia-related courses.
  3. Able to read Chinese. Exclusion Criteria: No.

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: None (Open Label)

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: Comic-Based Dementia Education

Participants will independently read a researcher-developed comic-based dementia care handbook for 60 minutes in a quiet classroom. Materials will be collected immediately afterward.
Behavioral: Comic-Based Dementia Care Education

Participants will independently read a researcher-developed comic-based dementia care handbook for 60 minutes in a quiet classroom. The handbook presents dementia-related knowledge, communication strategies, and care principles through illustrated scenarios and dialogues. Educational materials will be collected immediately after the session.
Active Comparator: Text-Based Dementia Education

Participants will independently read researcher-developed printed text-based dementia educational materials for 60 minutes in a quiet classroom. Materials will be collected immediately afterward.
Behavioral: Text-Based Dementia Care Education

Participants will independently read researcher-developed printed text-based dementia care educational materials for 60 minutes in a quiet classroom. The materials cover the same educational content as the comic-based handbook, including dementia-related knowledge, communication strategies, and care principles. Educational materials will be collected immediately after the session.

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
Dementia Knowledge Assessed by the DKAS-TC
Time Frame: Baseline, immediately after the intervention, and one month after the intervention.

Dementia knowledge will be assessed using the Traditional Chinese version of the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale (DKAS-TC). The scale consists of 25 items covering causes and characteristics, communication and behavior, care considerations, and risks and health promotion. A partial-credit scoring system is used, with each item scored from 0 to 2. Total scores range from 0 to 50, with higher scores indicating greater dementia knowledge.
Baseline, immediately after the intervention, and one month after the intervention.
Attitudes Toward Dementia Assessed by the DAS-C
Time Frame: Baseline, immediately after the intervention, and one month after the intervention.

Attitudes toward dementia will be assessed using the Chinese version of the Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS-C). The scale consists of 17 items rated on a five-point Likert scale, including three reverse-scored items. Total scores range from 17 to 85, with higher scores indicating more positive attitudes toward people living with dementia.
Baseline, immediately after the intervention, and one month after the intervention.
Confidence in Dementia Care Assessed by the CODE-TW
Time Frame: Baseline, immediately after the intervention, and one month after the intervention.

Confidence in dementia care will be assessed using the Taiwanese version of the Confidence in Dementia Scale (CODE-TW). The scale consists of 9 items rated on a five-point Likert scale, assessing confidence in recognizing and understanding dementia, communication and interaction, and care management. Total scores range from 9 to 45, with higher scores indicating greater confidence in dementia care.
Baseline, immediately after the intervention, and one month 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
Learning Materials Satisfaction
Time Frame: Immediately after the 60-minute educational intervention. Measure Description

Learning materials satisfaction will be assessed using a 10-item questionnaire developed by Chao et al. (2021). Each item is rated on a five-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Total scores range from 10 to 50, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction with the assigned educational materials.
Immediately after the 60-minute educational intervention. Measure Description

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.
Taipei Medical 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: Yeu-Hui Chuang, Taipei Medical University

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.
November 9, 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.
October 31, 2027

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.
October 31, 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).
November 2, 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.
November 2, 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.
November 6, 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.
November 6, 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.
November 2, 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.
November 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

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.
  • N202609028

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 to protect participant confidentiality.

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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