Stress Reduction Program for Iraqi Medical Students (SRIMS)

Effects of Stress Reduction Intervention on Psychological, Cardiovascular, and Neuroendocrine Outcomes in Iraqi Medical Students During Examinations

A 4-week stress reduction program for medical students during exams, measuring effects on stress, heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones (ACTH, cortisol, DHEA).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Psychological Stress; Academic Stress
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program

Detailed Description

This single-group pre-post intervention study evaluates the effects of a culturally adapted 4-week stress-reduction program on psychological well-being, cardiovascular function, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hormones in Iraqi medical students during examinations. A total of 135 medical students participated in an 8-session mindfulness-based stress management program. Primary outcomes included perceived stress (0-10 visual analog scale), heart rate, blood pressure, and serum levels of ACTH, cortisol, and DHEA, measured before and after the intervention.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 135
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Iraq
  • Thi-Qar
    • Nasiriyah, Thi-Qar, Iraq, 64001
      • University of Thi-Qar College of Medicine

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• - Medical students at University of Thi-Qar College of Medicine
• Currently enrolled and preparing for examinations
• Age 18 years or older
• Willing to participate in 8 intervention sessions
• Able to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Current use of medications affecting HPA axis or cardiovascular function

  • Diagnosed chronic medical or psychiatric conditions
  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Previous participation in formal mindfulness or stress management training

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Stress Reduction Intervention; All 135 participants receive a 4-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program consisting of 8 group sessions (90 minutes each, twice weekly) plus daily home practice (15-20 minutes). Measurements taken at baseline and 4 weeks.	Behavioral: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program; Culturally adapted 4-week stress reduction program including: 8 group sessions (2 per week, 90 minutes each); Mindfulness meditation techniques; Progressive muscle relaxation; Breathing exercises; Psychoeducation about stress; Daily home practice (15-20 minutes); Led by trained facilitators

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Perceived Stress Score	Perceived Stress Score (0-10 visual analog scale)	Baseline and 4 weeks
ACTH Levels	Measure: Levels (pg/mL)	Baseline and 4 weeks
Cortisol Levels	Measure: Cortisol Levels (µg/dL)	Baseline and 4 weeks
DHEA Levels	Measure: DHEA Levels (ng/mL)	Baseline and 4 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Heart Rate	Measure: Heart Rate (bpm)	Baseline and 4 weeks
Blood Pressure	Measure: Blood Pressure (mmHg) - Systolic and Diastolic	Baseline and 4 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Thi-Qar

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): January 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 27, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 27, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 5, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 5, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 27, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Mindfulness; DHEA; Cortisol; Behavioral intervention; HPA axis; Stress hormones; ACTH; Stress reduction; Neuroendocrine; Psychological stress; Iraq; Stress management; Medical students; Academic stress; Examination stress
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Stress, Psychological
• Other Study ID Numbers: IQ. UTQ. MED. 2025. 0081; Ethics approval IQ. UTQ. MED. (Other Identifier: University of Thi-Qar College of Medicine Research Ethics Committee)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data collected for all primary and secondary outcome measures, including perceived stress scores, heart rate, blood pressure, and serum hormone levels (ACTH, cortisol, DHEA), along with demographic variables (age, sex) and intervention attendance data.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Beginning 6 months and ending 5 years following article publication
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Requests directed to adelgassab@utq.edu.iq. Requestors must provide methodologically sound proposal and sign data access agreement.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP; ICF; ANALYTIC_CODE; CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No