Investigation of the Effects of Angling as Supportive Therapy in Schizophrenia Treatment on Serum Parameters, Anxiety, Depression, and Quality of Life

July 2, 2026 updated by: Gülcan Bahçecioğlu Turan, Firat University

Angling as a Supportive Therapy in the Treatment of Schizophrenia

This study aims to evaluate the effects of recreational fishing (angling) as a supportive therapeutic intervention in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder characterized by disturbances in thinking, perception, emotion, and behavior, often accompanied by negative symptoms such as social withdrawal, anhedonia, and cognitive impairment, which significantly reduce quality of life.

Recreational activities, particularly those involving nature-based engagement, have been shown to support psychological well-being through stress reduction, improved attention, and enhanced mood regulation. Angling is considered a mindfulness-like recreational activity that promotes relaxation, concentration, and emotional regulation, potentially offering benefits for individuals with psychiatric conditions.

In this randomized controlled study, participants with schizophrenia will engage in a structured recreational fishing program in addition to standard care. The effects of the intervention will be evaluated on biochemical serum parameters, anxiety and depression levels, and quality of life outcomes. The study also aims to assess the psychosocial well-being of participants and determine the feasibility of integrating angling as an adjunctive non-pharmacological intervention in schizophrenia care.

The findings are expected to contribute to evidence-based complementary treatment approaches in psychiatric rehabilitation.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

60

Phase

  • 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 Locations

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults aged 18 years and older
  • Able to communicate verbally
  • Diagnosed with schizophrenia
  • Able to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of comorbid psychiatric disorders other than schizophrenia
  • Patients in the acute psychotic (attack) phase

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: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control
Experimental: recreational fishing (angling)
Behavioral: recreational fishing (angling)
Fishing will be done.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Quality of Life Scale for Schizophrenia Patients
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention.
Developed by Heinrich et al. to assess the quality of life of schizophrenia patients, the Turkish validity and reliability study was conducted by Soygür et al. Administered in a semi-structured interview format, the scale evaluates the individual's symptoms and level of functioning over the past four weeks. It consists of 21 items and four sub-dimensions: interpersonal relationships, occupational role, mental symptoms, and daily activities. Scores on the scale range from 0 to 126, with higher scores indicating better quality of life.
Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention.
UCLA Loneliness Scale
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention.
The UCLA Loneliness Scale-Short Form (ULS-8) is an 8-item self-report instrument used to assess perceived loneliness. Each item is rated on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 ("Never") to 4 ("Always"). Two items are reverse scored. Total scores range from 8 to 32, with higher scores indicating greater perceived loneliness.
Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention.
The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention.
The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale : he Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), developed by Kay et al., is a semi-structured clinician-rated instrument consisting of 30 items scored on a 7-point scale (1 = absent to 7 = extreme). The scale comprises three subscales: positive symptoms (7 items; score range: 7-49), negative symptoms (7 items; score range: 7-49), and general psychopathology (16 items; score range: 16-112). Total PANSS scores range from 30 to 210, with higher scores indicating more severe psychopathology and poorer clinical status.
Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention.
Serum Beta-Endorphin Concentration
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention.
Venous blood samples will be collected to measure serum beta-endorphin concentration. Changes in serum beta-endorphin levels will be evaluated to assess the biological effects of the intervention.
Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention.
Serum Serotonin Concentration
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention.
Venous blood samples will be collected to measure serum serotonin concentration. Changes in serum serotonin levels will be evaluated to assess the biological effects of the intervention.
Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention.
Serum Cortisol Concentration
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention.
Venous blood samples will be collected to measure serum cortisol concentration. Changes in serum cortisol levels will be evaluated to assess the biological effects of the intervention.
Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention.

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Firat 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 (Actual)

June 15, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 15, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 26, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 26, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

July 6, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 2, 2026

Last Verified

July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2026/09-43

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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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