Learned HelplessnessNCT07137325
Investigating the Effects of Play Therapy Techniques on Learned Helplessness and Social Comparison Levels in Children Living in an Orphanage
A study testing play therapy in people with Learned Helplessness and Social Comparison, run by Muş Alparslan University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Purpose: This study aims to examine the effects of play therapy techniques on the learned helplessness levels and social comparison tendencies of children living in children's homes. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 10 to 18 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Learned Helplessness, Social Comparison
- What is being tested?
- play therapy
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 39 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 Aug 2024to 1 Dec 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 10 to 18 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- - Living in a children's home,
- Continuing education,
- Having no hearing or vision problems.
Who cannot join
- those who do not meet the inclusion criteria
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Aile Ve Sosyal Hizmetler Il Müdürlüğü
Muş, Merkez, 49100
About this study
Purpose: This study aims to examine the effects of play therapy techniques on the learned helplessness levels and social comparison tendencies of children living in children's homes.
Read the detailed description
Purpose: This study aims to examine the effects of play therapy techniques on the learned helplessness levels and social comparison tendencies of children living in children's homes.
Method: The study was conducted using a randomized experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. The research sample consisted of 39 children living in children's homes affiliated with the Ministry of Family and Social Services in Türkiye. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental (n=21) and control (n=18) groups. The experimental group received a six-week structured play therapy program. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Learned Helplessness Scale, and the Social Comparison Scale, and nonparametric tests were used in analyses.
- Conditions
- Learned Helplessness, Social Comparison
- Being tested
- play therapy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
play therapyBehavioural
The intervention consisted of a structured play therapy program specifically designed for children residing in institutional care settings. What distinguishes this intervention from others is its targeted focus on reducing learned helplessness and improving social comparison tendencies, two psychological constructs particularly relevant to children in residential care.
The program was conducted over six weekly sessions, each lasting approximately 60 minutes, and implemented in a one-on-one format within a safe, quiet room in the child care facility. The content was developmentally appropriate and included modules on emotional expression, communication, realistic goal setting, resource awareness, problem-solving, and positive self-perception. The therapeutic techniques were based on principles of non-directive and humanistic play therapy, allowing children to express themselves freely while being guided through structured themes.
Unlike general play therapy programs, this intervention
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| experimental group | Experimental | Play therapy techniques were applied for 6 weeks. Receives: Behavioral: play therapy |
| control group | No intervention | no intervention was implemented |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
pretest (6-week play therapy before the intervention)
Primary Outcome Measure 1: Social Comparison Level (Social Comparison Scale)
Description: Social Comparison Scale, range 12-60; higher scores = higher social comparison tendency.
Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention, within 1 week before play therapy).
Unit of Measure: Total score (12-60).
Measured: Baseline (within 1 week before play therapy)
pretest (6-week play therapy before the intervention)
Primary Outcome Measure 2: Learned Helplessness Level (Learned Helplessness Scale)
Description: Learned Helplessness Scale, range 0-20; higher scores = greater learned helplessness.
Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention, within 1 week before play therapy).
Unit of Measure: Total score (0-20).
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention, within 1 week before play therapy).
Secondary outcomes (2)
posttest (After the 6-week play therapy intervention)
Secondary Outcome Measure 1: Social Comparison Level Post-Intervention (Social Comparison Scale)
Description: Social Comparison Scale, range 12-60; higher scores = higher social comparison tendency.
Time Frame: Post-intervention (at 6 weeks after completion of play therapy).
Unit of Measure: Total score (12-60).
Measured: At 6 weeks (immediately after completion of play therapy).
posttest (After the 6-week play therapy intervention)
Secondary Outcome Measure 2: Learned Helplessness Level Post-Intervention (Learned Helplessness Scale)
Description: Learned Helplessness Scale, range 0-20; higher scores = greater learned helplessness.
Time Frame: Post-intervention (at 6 weeks after completion of play therapy).
Unit of Measure: Total score (0-20).
Measured: 6 weeks after baseline (post-intervention)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Aug 2025
- Study start1 Aug 2024
- Primary completion15 Sep 2024
- Study completion1 Dec 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Learned HelplessnessStudies 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
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- The data collection process consisted of three stages. In the first stage, pretest data were collected by administering the Learned Helplessness Scale and the Social Comparison Scale to both groups before the intervention. In the second stage, structured play therapy sessions, each approximately 60 minutes long, were administered to the children in the experimental group once a week for six weeks. These sessions consisted of play therapy techniques focusing on developmental appropriateness, emotional expression, problem solving, and self-perception. The control group received no intervention during this period. In the third stage, after the intervention was completed, the same scales were administered to both groups again to obtain posttest data. The data collection process lasted a total of six weeks, and the sessions were conducted one-on-one in appropriate, quiet, and safe environments in the children's homes. All sessions were conducted by the researcher, and the principle of volun
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 39 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Muş Alparslan University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Fatih Sahin, Muş Alparslan University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07137325
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 134665
- Status last verified
- Aug 2024
- First submitted
- 31 Jul 2025
- Last updated
- 22 Aug 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: Individual participant data (IPD) will not be made publicly available but may be shared upon reasonable request. Data sharing will be considered on a case-by-case basis and only for academic, non-commercial purposes. Sharing will be subject to legal and ethical restrictions, including the protection of participant confidentiality and compliance with institutional ethics approval.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 22 Aug 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Investigating the Effects of Play Therapy Techniques on Learned Helplessness and Social Comparison Levels in Children Living in an Orphanage
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07137325
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 134665
- Conditions
- Learned Helplessness, Social Comparison
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 39 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Muş Alparslan UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Aug 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Sep 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Dec 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 22 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.
Purpose: This study aims to examine the effects of play therapy techniques on the learned helplessness levels and social comparison tendencies of children living in children's homes.
Detailed description
Purpose: This study aims to examine the effects of play therapy techniques on the learned helplessness levels and social comparison tendencies of children living in children's homes.
Method: The study was conducted using a randomized experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. The research sample consisted of 39 children living in children's homes affiliated with the Ministry of Family and Social Services in Türkiye. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental (n=21) and control (n=18) groups. The experimental group received a six-week structured play therapy program. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Learned Helplessness Scale, and the Social Comparison Scale, and nonparametric tests were used in analyses.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- The data collection process consisted of three stages. In the first stage, pretest data were collected by administering the Learned Helplessness Scale and the Social Comparison Scale to both groups before the intervention. In the second stage, structured play therapy sessions, each approximately 60 minutes long, were administered to the children in the experimental group once a week for six weeks. These sessions consisted of play therapy techniques focusing on developmental appropriateness, emotional expression, problem solving, and self-perception. The control group received no intervention during this period. In the third stage, after the intervention was completed, the same scales were administered to both groups again to obtain posttest data. The data collection process lasted a total of six weeks, and the sessions were conducted one-on-one in appropriate, quiet, and safe environments in the children's homes. All sessions were conducted by the researcher, and the principle of volun
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| experimental group | Experimental | Behavioral: play therapyPlay therapy techniques were applied for 6 weeks. |
| control group | No intervention | –no intervention was implemented |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 10 to 18 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- - Living in a children's home,
- Continuing education,
- Having no hearing or vision problems.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- those who do not meet the inclusion criteria
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 |
|---|---|---|
| play therapyThe intervention consisted of a structured play therapy program specifically designed for children residing in institutional care settings. What distinguishes this intervention from others is its targeted focus on reducing learned helplessness and improving social comparison tendencies, two psychological constructs particularly relevant to children in residential care. The program was conducted over six weekly sessions, each lasting approximately 60 minutes, and implemented in a one-on-one format within a safe, quiet room in the child care facility. The content was developmentally appropriate and included modules on emotional expression, communication, realistic goal setting, resource awareness, problem-solving, and positive self-perception. The therapeutic techniques were based on principles of non-directive and humanistic play therapy, allowing children to express themselves freely while being guided through structured themes. Unlike general play therapy programs, this intervention | Behavioural | experimental group |
Primary outcome
pretest (6-week play therapy before the intervention)
Time frame: Baseline (within 1 week before play therapy)
Primary Outcome Measure 1: Social Comparison Level (Social Comparison Scale) Description: Social Comparison Scale, range 12-60; higher scores = higher social comparison tendency. Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention, within 1 week before play therapy). Unit of Measure: Total score (12-60).
pretest (6-week play therapy before the intervention)
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention, within 1 week before play therapy).
Primary Outcome Measure 2: Learned Helplessness Level (Learned Helplessness Scale) Description: Learned Helplessness Scale, range 0-20; higher scores = greater learned helplessness. Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention, within 1 week before play therapy). Unit of Measure: Total score (0-20).
2 secondary outcomes
posttest (After the 6-week play therapy intervention)
Time frame: At 6 weeks (immediately after completion of play therapy).
posttest (After the 6-week play therapy intervention)
Time frame: 6 weeks after baseline (post-intervention)
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 22 Aug 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided. Individual participant data (IPD) will not be made publicly available but may be shared upon reasonable request. Data sharing will be considered on a case-by-case basis and only for academic, non-commercial purposes. Sharing will be subject to legal and ethical restrictions, including the protection of participant confidentiality and compliance with institutional ethics approval.
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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 play therapy in people with Learned Helplessness and Social Comparison, run by Muş Alparslan 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 3 inclusion and 1 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 22 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?
pretest (6-week play therapy before the intervention) (time frame: Baseline (within 1 week before play therapy)). 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?
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 22 Aug 2025.