EmpathyNCT07103538
The Effect of the Reflective Practices
A study testing Reflective practices in people with Empathy and Compassion, run by Akdeniz University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
The aim of this study was to explore the effects of reflective practices on nursing students' empathy and compassion levels. Hypothesis H1-1: Reflective practices affect nursing students' empathy level. H1-2: Reflective practices affect nursing students' compassion level. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Empathy, Compassion, Nursing Student
- What is being tested?
- Reflective practices
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 77 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 19 Feb 2024to 3 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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Voluntary participation in the study
- Enrollment in the "Fundamentals of Nursing-II" course
- Taking the course for the first time
- Not having previously received training in reflective practice
- Being registered in Class B
Who cannot join
- Refusal to participate in the study at any stage of the study process
- Failure to fully complete the data collection forms
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: The Effect of the Reflective Practices on Nursing Students' Empathy and Compassion Levels: A Randomized Controlled Trial
The aim of this study was to explore the effects of reflective practices on nursing students' empathy and compassion levels.
Hypothesis H1-1: Reflective practices affect nursing students' empathy level. H1-2: Reflective practices affect nursing students' compassion level.
- Conditions
- Empathy, Compassion, Nursing Student
- Being tested
- Reflective practices
- Keywords
- empathy, compassion, reflective practices
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Reflective practicesBehavioural
The intervention was implemented as part of a nursing course consisting of 4 hours of theoretical instruction, 4 hours of laboratory practice, and 8 hours of clinical practice. For 14 weeks, reflective practice was integrated into both the laboratory and clinical components. In the laboratory sessions, clinical scenarios were developed based on five common topics (e.g., infection control, vital signs) that students are likely to encounter during clinical practice. Students performed these scenarios by taking on different roles. Following each role-play, structured reflection sessions were conducted with the students. In the clinical setting, the final hour of each practice day was allocated for reflection. After completing an online reflection form, students had the opportunity to engage in group discussions if they wished to reflect further.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | The intervention was implemented as part of a nursing course consisting of 4 hours of theoretical instruction, 4 hours of laboratory practice, and 8 hours of clinical practice. For 14 weeks, reflective practice was integrated into both the laboratory and clinical components. In the laboratory sessions, clinical scenarios were developed based on five common topics (e.g., infection control, vital signs) that students are likely to encounter during clinical practice. Students performed these scenarios by taking on different roles. Following each role-play, structured reflection sessions were conducted with the students. In the clinical setting, the final hour of each practice day was allocated for reflection. After completing an online reflection form, students had the opportunity to engage in group discussions if they wished to reflect further. Receives: Behavioral: Reflective practices |
| Control | No intervention | Students followed the same laboratory and clinical curriculum but did not participate in any structured reflective practices. They received standard instruction in psychomotor skills and routine clinical procedures without the inclusion of role-play, scenario-based learning, or debriefing sessions. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Empathy
The Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Nursing Students was designed to measure empathy levels in nursing students. The Turkish adaptation consists of 18 items across the same three sub-dimensions. The scale is based on a 7-point Likert-type format (1 = Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree), yielding a total score ranging from 18 to 126. Higher total scores reflect greater levels of empathy.
Measured: Data were collected at two different time points: At recruitment (T0) and in the 14th week (T1)
Compassion
The Compassion Scale comprises 24 items and six subscales: kindness, indifference, common humanity, separation, mindfulness, and disengagement. The subscales of indifference, disengagement, and separation are reverse-scored prior to calculating the overall compassion score. Total scores range from 24 to 120, with higher scores indicating higher levels of compassion.
Measured: Data were collected at two different time points: At recruitment (T0) and in the 14th week (T1)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Aug 2025
- Study start19 Feb 2024
- Primary completion19 Feb 2024
- Study completion3 Jun 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (7)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for EmpathyStudies 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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 77 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Akdeniz University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Fatma DURSUN ERGEZEN, Akdeniz University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07103538
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- FErgezen
- Status last verified
- Aug 2025
- First submitted
- 29 Jul 2025
- Last updated
- 14 Aug 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes
Publications
Durkin M, Gurbutt R, Carson J. Effectiveness of an online short compassion strengths course on nursing students compassion: A mixed methods non-randomised pilot study. Nurse Educ Today. 2022 Apr;111:105315. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105315. Epub 2022 Feb 26.
PubMed 35290862Dreifuerst KT. Using debriefing for meaningful learning to foster development of clinical reasoning in simulation. J Nurs Educ. 2012 Jun;51(6):326-33. doi: 10.3928/01484834-20120409-02. Epub 2012 Apr 9.
PubMed 22495923Contreras JA, Edwards-Maddox S, Hall A, Lee MA. Effects of Reflective Practice on Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Stress, Anxiety and Competency: An Integrative Review. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. 2020 Jun;17(3):239-245. doi: 10.1111/wvn.12438. Epub 2020 Apr 24.
PubMed 32329238Coleman D, Willis DS. Reflective writing: the student nurse's perspective on reflective writing and poetry writing. Nurse Educ Today. 2015 Jul;35(7):906-11. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2015.02.018. Epub 2015 Mar 14.
PubMed 25802097Arman M. Empathy, sympathy, and altruism-An evident triad based on compassion. A theoretical model for caring. Scand J Caring Sci. 2023 Sep;37(3):862-871. doi: 10.1111/scs.13163. Epub 2023 Mar 21.
PubMed 36942653Adamson E, Dewar B. Compassionate Care: Student nurses' learning through reflection and the use of story. Nurse Educ Pract. 2015 May;15(3):155-61. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2014.08.002. Epub 2014 Sep 19.
PubMed 25754833Dursun Ergezen F, Yacan Kok A, Kol E. Effects of a Longitudinal Multimethod Reflective Learning Intervention on Empathy and Compassion in Nursing Students: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. Nurse Educ. 2026 Nov-Dec 01;51(6):e471-e477. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000002265. Epub 2026 Jul 9.
PubMed 42424072
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 14 Aug 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of the Reflective Practices on Nursing Students' Empathy and Compassion Levels: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07103538
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- FErgezen
- Conditions
- Empathy, Compassion, Nursing Student
- Keywords
- empathy, compassion, reflective practices
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 77 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Akdeniz UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 19 Feb 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 19 Feb 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 3 Jun 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 5 Aug 2025 (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.
The aim of this study was to explore the effects of reflective practices on nursing students' empathy and compassion levels.
Hypothesis H1-1: Reflective practices affect nursing students' empathy level. H1-2: Reflective practices affect nursing students' compassion level.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Reflective practicesThe intervention was implemented as part of a nursing course consisting of 4 hours of theoretical instruction, 4 hours of laboratory practice, and 8 hours of clinical practice. For 14 weeks, reflective practice was integrated into both the laboratory and clinical components. In the laboratory sessions, clinical scenarios were developed based on five common topics (e.g., infection control, vital signs) that students are likely to encounter during clinical practice. Students performed these scenarios by taking on different roles. Following each role-play, structured reflection sessions were conducted with the students. In the clinical setting, the final hour of each practice day was allocated for reflection. After completing an online reflection form, students had the opportunity to engage in group discussions if they wished to reflect further. |
| Control | No intervention | –Students followed the same laboratory and clinical curriculum but did not participate in any structured reflective practices. They received standard instruction in psychomotor skills and routine clinical procedures without the inclusion of role-play, scenario-based learning, or debriefing sessions. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Voluntary participation in the study
- Enrollment in the "Fundamentals of Nursing-II" course
- Taking the course for the first time
- Not having previously received training in reflective practice
- Being registered in Class B
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Refusal to participate in the study at any stage of the study process
- Failure to fully complete the data collection forms
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Reflective practicesThe intervention was implemented as part of a nursing course consisting of 4 hours of theoretical instruction, 4 hours of laboratory practice, and 8 hours of clinical practice. For 14 weeks, reflective practice was integrated into both the laboratory and clinical components. In the laboratory sessions, clinical scenarios were developed based on five common topics (e.g., infection control, vital signs) that students are likely to encounter during clinical practice. Students performed these scenarios by taking on different roles. Following each role-play, structured reflection sessions were conducted with the students. In the clinical setting, the final hour of each practice day was allocated for reflection. After completing an online reflection form, students had the opportunity to engage in group discussions if they wished to reflect further. | Behavioural | Intervention |
Primary outcome
Empathy
Time frame: Data were collected at two different time points: At recruitment (T0) and in the 14th week (T1)
The Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Nursing Students was designed to measure empathy levels in nursing students. The Turkish adaptation consists of 18 items across the same three sub-dimensions. The scale is based on a 7-point Likert-type format (1 = Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree), yielding a total score ranging from 18 to 126. Higher total scores reflect greater levels of empathy.
Compassion
Time frame: Data were collected at two different time points: At recruitment (T0) and in the 14th week (T1)
The Compassion Scale comprises 24 items and six subscales: kindness, indifference, common humanity, separation, mindfulness, and disengagement. The subscales of indifference, disengagement, and separation are reverse-scored prior to calculating the overall compassion score. Total scores range from 24 to 120, with higher scores indicating higher levels of compassion.
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 14 Aug 2025.
- Results publication: PubMed 35290862Durkin M, Gurbutt R, Carson J. Effectiveness of an online short compassion strengths course on nursing students compassion: A mixed methods non-randomised pilot study. Nurse Educ Today. 2022 Apr;111:105315. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105315. Epub 2022 Feb 26.
- Results publication: PubMed 22495923Dreifuerst KT. Using debriefing for meaningful learning to foster development of clinical reasoning in simulation. J Nurs Educ. 2012 Jun;51(6):326-33. doi: 10.3928/01484834-20120409-02. Epub 2012 Apr 9.
- Results publication: PubMed 32329238Contreras JA, Edwards-Maddox S, Hall A, Lee MA. Effects of Reflective Practice on Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Stress, Anxiety and Competency: An Integrative Review. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. 2020 Jun;17(3):239-245. doi: 10.1111/wvn.12438. Epub 2020 Apr 24.
- Results publication: PubMed 25802097Coleman D, Willis DS. Reflective writing: the student nurse's perspective on reflective writing and poetry writing. Nurse Educ Today. 2015 Jul;35(7):906-11. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2015.02.018. Epub 2015 Mar 14.
- Results publication: PubMed 36942653Arman M. Empathy, sympathy, and altruism-An evident triad based on compassion. A theoretical model for caring. Scand J Caring Sci. 2023 Sep;37(3):862-871. doi: 10.1111/scs.13163. Epub 2023 Mar 21.
- Results publication: PubMed 25754833Adamson E, Dewar B. Compassionate Care: Student nurses' learning through reflection and the use of story. Nurse Educ Pract. 2015 May;15(3):155-61. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2014.08.002. Epub 2014 Sep 19.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42424072Dursun Ergezen F, Yacan Kok A, Kol E. Effects of a Longitudinal Multimethod Reflective Learning Intervention on Empathy and Compassion in Nursing Students: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. Nurse Educ. 2026 Nov-Dec 01;51(6):e471-e477. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000002265. Epub 2026 Jul 9.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes
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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 Reflective practices in people with Empathy and Compassion, run by Akdeniz University 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 5 inclusion and 2 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 14 Aug 2025. 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?
Empathy (time frame: Data were collected at two different time points: At recruitment (T0) and in the 14th week (T1)). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07103538, which also lists 7 linked publications.
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 14 Aug 2025.