Art TherapyNCT07560241
The Effects of an Intermodal Art Therapy Program on Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Emotion Regulation Skill Levels in Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Study
A study testing Art Therapy in people with Art Therapy, run by Atlas University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Nursing students face stress during their education, especially when transitioning to clinical practice; poorly managed stress reduces academic achievement and increases levels of depression and anxiety. Therefore, developing students' emotional awareness and coping skills is important. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 17 to 23 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Art Therapy
- What is being tested?
- Art Therapy
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 44 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 29 Apr 2026to 18 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 17 to 23 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Being enrolled in the 1st or 2nd year of the Nursing Department at Istanbul Atlas University in the Spring Semester of 2025-2026,
- Voluntarily participating in the research
Who cannot join
- Having any comprehension or speech impairment,
- Having any psychiatric diagnosis,
- Being on any psychotropic medication,
- Being enrolled in another program using a similar method that could affect the study's outcome
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
İstanbul Atlas University
Istanbul, Istanbul, 34408
About this study
Nursing students face stress during their education, especially when transitioning to clinical practice; poorly managed stress reduces academic achievement and increases levels of depression and anxiety. Therefore, developing students' emotional awareness and coping skills is important. Art therapy is an effective method that supports individuals in self-expression and the development of emotion regulation skills. Although the literature shows positive effects of art-based interventions on psychological well-being, there are limited randomized controlled studies that address depression, anxiety, stress, and emotion regulation skills together in nursing students. Accordingly, this study aims to determine the effect of an intermodal art therapy program on these variables in nursing students. The research was planned as a two-group, single-blind, observational, randomized controlled interventional study. The population of the study will consist of 1st and 2nd-year nursing students studying at Istanbul Atlas University, and 44 students meeting the inclusion-exclusion criteria will constitute the sample of the study. The intermodal art therapy program will be applied to the intervention group. Data; Data will be collected using an Individual Demographic Form, the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Skills Scale. Interventions will be administered in approximately grouped sessions, once a week, for a total of 8 sessions, each lasting 90 minutes, in a structured format. Data analysis will be performed using the SPSS 23.0 software package. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, mean, and standard deviation will be used to define the sample size; pairwise pairs or the Wilcoxon pairwise test will be used for intragroup comparisons according to parametric test assumptions; and the Chi-square test will be used for the analysis of categorical data. A 95% significance level will be used to determine differences in the analyses. This study aims to contribute to strengthening the psychosocial care of nursing students by providing evidence on the effectiveness of an intermodal art therapy program applied to nursing students.
- Conditions
- Art Therapy
- Being tested
- Art Therapy
- Keywords
- Intermodal Art Therapy, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Emotion Regulation Skill, Nursing Students
- Medical subject headings
- Depression, Anxiety Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Art TherapyBehavioural
Also called Intermodal art therapy
Intermodal art therapy program
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Art Therapy Group | Experimental | In the study, it was planned to apply art therapy program the independent variable to the intervention group in 8 sessions of 90-120 minutes, one days a week, and no intervention was planned for the control group. Receives: Behavioral: Art Therapy |
| Comparison group | No intervention | No intervention was planned for the control group. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Depression, anxiety, stress
Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) Lovibond and Lovibond (1995) created DASS-21 by shortening DASS-42. Sarıçam (2018) performed psychometric tests on the Turkish version of the "Depression Anxiety Stress-21 Scale (DASS-21)" in normal and clinical samples. In the normal sample, test-retest correlation coefficients were found to be r=0.68 for the depression subscale, r=0.66 for the anxiety subscale, and r=0.61 for the stress subscale. The scale, which is a four-point Likert type, consists of 7 questions each measuring the "depression, stress, and anxiety dimensions". In the depression subscale scores, 0-4 points indicate normal, 5-6 points mild, 7-10 points moderate, 11-13 points advanced, and 14 points and above indicate very advanced depression. In the anxiety subscale, scores between 0-3 indicate normal, 4-5 indicates mild, 6-7 indicates moderate, 8-9 indicates advanced, and 10 and above indicates very advanced anxiety levels. In the stress subscale, scores between 0-7 indic
Measured: Pre-test (8 weeks before intervention) Post-test (8 weeks after intervention) Follow-up (1 month after post-test evaluation)
Emotion Regulation Skills
Emotion Regulation Skills Scale (EDS) This is a scale developed by Berking and Znoj (2008) to determine individuals' emotion regulation skills. The adaptation of the scale into Turkish, and its validity and reliability study, were carried out by Vatan and Kâhya (2018). The scale is a self-report instrument consisting of 27 items with a five-point Likert scale (0=almost never, 4=almost always). The Emotional Behavior Test (EBT) encompasses nine sub-dimensions: awareness/attention (e.g., 'I paid attention to my feelings.'), bodily sensations (e.g., 'My physical sensations were a good indicator of how I felt.'), clarity (e.g., 'I was sure of which emotions I was experiencing.'), understanding (e.g., 'I was aware of why I felt that way.'), acceptance (e.g., 'I accepted my emotions.'), tolerance (e.g., 'I felt I could tolerate my negative emotions.'), preparedness for confrontation (e.g., 'Even though it made me feel uncomfortable or anxious, I did what I planned.'), self-support (e.g., 'I
Measured: Pre-test (8 weeks before intervention) Post-test (8 weeks after intervention) Follow-up (1 month after post-test evaluation)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 May 2026
- Study start29 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion18 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion18 Jul 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Art TherapyStudies 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
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 44 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Atlas University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07560241
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 01313
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Apr 2026
- Last updated
- 1 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: We can share if necessary
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effects of an Intermodal Art Therapy Program on Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Emotion Regulation Skill Levels in Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07560241
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 01313
- Conditions
- Art Therapy
- Keywords
- Intermodal Art Therapy, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Emotion Regulation Skill, Nursing Students
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Enrolling by invitation
- Enrolment
- 44 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Atlas UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 29 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 18 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 18 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 1 May 2026 (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.
Nursing students face stress during their education, especially when transitioning to clinical practice; poorly managed stress reduces academic achievement and increases levels of depression and anxiety. Therefore, developing students' emotional awareness and coping skills is important. Art therapy is an effective method that supports individuals in self-expression and the development of emotion regulation skills. Although the literature shows positive effects of art-based interventions on psychological well-being, there are limited randomized controlled studies that address depression, anxiety, stress, and emotion regulation skills together in nursing students. Accordingly, this study aims to determine the effect of an intermodal art therapy program on these variables in nursing students. The research was planned as a two-group, single-blind, observational, randomized controlled interventional study. The population of the study will consist of 1st and 2nd-year nursing students studying at Istanbul Atlas University, and 44 students meeting the inclusion-exclusion criteria will constitute the sample of the study. The intermodal art therapy program will be applied to the intervention group. Data; Data will be collected using an Individual Demographic Form, the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Skills Scale. Interventions will be administered in approximately grouped sessions, once a week, for a total of 8 sessions, each lasting 90 minutes, in a structured format. Data analysis will be performed using the SPSS 23.0 software package. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, mean, and standard deviation will be used to define the sample size; pairwise pairs or the Wilcoxon pairwise test will be used for intragroup comparisons according to parametric test assumptions; and the Chi-square test will be used for the analysis of categorical data. A 95% significance level will be used to determine differences in the analyses. This study aims to contribute to strengthening the psychosocial care of nursing students by providing evidence on the effectiveness of an intermodal art therapy program applied to nursing students.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Art Therapy Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Art TherapyIn the study, it was planned to apply art therapy program the independent variable to the intervention group in 8 sessions of 90-120 minutes, one days a week, and no intervention was planned for the control group. |
| Comparison group | No intervention | –No intervention was planned for the control group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 17 to 23 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Being enrolled in the 1st or 2nd year of the Nursing Department at Istanbul Atlas University in the Spring Semester of 2025-2026,
- Voluntarily participating in the research
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Having any comprehension or speech impairment,
- Having any psychiatric diagnosis,
- Being on any psychotropic medication,
- Being enrolled in another program using a similar method that could affect the study's outcome
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Art TherapyAlso: Intermodal art therapyIntermodal art therapy program | Behavioural | Art Therapy Group |
Primary outcome
Depression, anxiety, stress
Time frame: Pre-test (8 weeks before intervention) Post-test (8 weeks after intervention) Follow-up (1 month after post-test evaluation)
Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) Lovibond and Lovibond (1995) created DASS-21 by shortening DASS-42. Sarıçam (2018) performed psychometric tests on the Turkish version of the "Depression Anxiety Stress-21 Scale (DASS-21)" in normal and clinical samples. In the normal sample, test-retest correlation coefficients were found to be r=0.68 for the depression subscale, r=0.66 for the anxiety subscale, and r=0.61 for the stress subscale. The scale, which is a four-point Likert type, consists of 7 questions each measuring the "depression, stress, and anxiety dimensions". In the depression subscale scores, 0-4 points indicate normal, 5-6 points mild, 7-10 points moderate, 11-13 points advanced, and 14 points and above indicate very advanced depression. In the anxiety subscale, scores between 0-3 indicate normal, 4-5 indicates mild, 6-7 indicates moderate, 8-9 indicates advanced, and 10 and above indicates very advanced anxiety levels. In the stress subscale, scores between 0-7 indic
Emotion Regulation Skills
Time frame: Pre-test (8 weeks before intervention) Post-test (8 weeks after intervention) Follow-up (1 month after post-test evaluation)
Emotion Regulation Skills Scale (EDS) This is a scale developed by Berking and Znoj (2008) to determine individuals' emotion regulation skills. The adaptation of the scale into Turkish, and its validity and reliability study, were carried out by Vatan and Kâhya (2018). The scale is a self-report instrument consisting of 27 items with a five-point Likert scale (0=almost never, 4=almost always). The Emotional Behavior Test (EBT) encompasses nine sub-dimensions: awareness/attention (e.g., 'I paid attention to my feelings.'), bodily sensations (e.g., 'My physical sensations were a good indicator of how I felt.'), clarity (e.g., 'I was sure of which emotions I was experiencing.'), understanding (e.g., 'I was aware of why I felt that way.'), acceptance (e.g., 'I accepted my emotions.'), tolerance (e.g., 'I felt I could tolerate my negative emotions.'), preparedness for confrontation (e.g., 'Even though it made me feel uncomfortable or anxious, I did what I planned.'), self-support (e.g., 'I
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. We can share if necessary
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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.
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 Art Therapy in people with Art Therapy, run by Atlas 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 2 inclusion and 4 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: enrolling by invitation, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 May 2026. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
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?
Depression, anxiety, stress (time frame: Pre-test (8 weeks before intervention) Post-test (8 weeks after intervention) Follow-up (1 month after post-test evaluation)). 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 1 May 2026.