DyspepsiaNCT07717541
Virtual Poetry Workshops to Enhance Patient Well Being and Reduce Anxiety
A study testing Poetry and Poetry Manual in people with Dyspepsia and Gastroparesis, run by Ohio State University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study examines whether participating in poetry workshops can improve emotional well-being among patients with chronic digestive symptoms. Many individuals with long-standing digestive conditions experience distress, anxiety, isolation, and difficulty expressing their emotions in clinical settings. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Dyspepsia, Gastroparesis, Anxiety
- What is being tested?
- Poetry and Poetry Manual
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 80 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 17 Jul 2026to 31 Dec 2028
- 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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- • At least 18 years old
- Ability to provide informed consent
- Able to speak and understand English
- Able to attend virtual poetry workshops
- Willing to share at least 3 poems at the end of the study with the study team
- Have access to a high-speed internet connection and smart phone or computer
Show all 9Show fewer
- Willing to participate in group activity if randomized to the facilitated workshops
- At least moderate dyspepsia assessed by the Dyspepsia questionnaire (at least one of the following symptoms with moderate or worse severity- nausea, vomiting, early satiety, post prandial fullness AND
- At least moderate anxiety or depression assessed by HADS questionnaire. The HADS score has 2 subscores- HADS-A for anxiety and HADS-D for depression. A score of ≥ 21 indicates moderate anxiety and will be required to be eligible for the study.
Who cannot join
- Unable to speak English or participate in virtual sessions
- Younger than 18 years old
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Columbus, Ohio, 43210
Subhankar Chakraborty, MD, Ph.D., 614-293-6255', subhankar.chakraborty@osumc.edu
About this study
Official title: Poetry Workshops to Enhance Patient Well-Being and Reduce Anxiety Levels
This study examines whether participating in poetry workshops can improve emotional well-being among patients with chronic digestive symptoms. Many individuals with long-standing digestive conditions experience distress, anxiety, isolation, and difficulty expressing their emotions in clinical settings. These emotional challenges can negatively affect daily life, relationships, and overall health.
Poetry writing offers a creative and supportive way for participants to explore their feelings, express their experiences, and build emotional resilience. It also allows individuals to focus on aspects of their identity beyond their illness.
Read more
The purpose of this research is to evaluate whether poetry workshops can reduce anxiety, lessen feelings of isolation, and strengthen participants' sense of community and well being.
- Why is this study being done?
The purpose of this research study is to offer a creative outlet for patients to explore their identity and story, build resilience, and seek hope. This study is being done because we understand that the psychological discomfort that can come upon hearing a diagnosis can lead to increased anxiety levels, negatively impacting a patient's well-being and relationships. Often healthcare practitioners may merely view a patient through the lens of their diagnosis, neglecting other aspects of their identity and humanity. Through reading various poems, crafting their own poems, and sharing their work with their peers, we hope the workshops offer a comforting opportunity for the participants to explore their identities and creativity.
Read the detailed description
Upon hearing a diagnosis, patients can feel overwhelmed and apprehensive as they experience a loss of control over their current state of health. This psychological discomfort combined with often life-threatening symptoms can result in increased anxiety levels in patients. While patient anxiety levels remain a critical issue for investigation, patients diagnosed with illnesses such as cancer often experience a lack of attention from providers towards their psychological wellbeing (Rickett et al. 2011). As a result, patients can feel consumed by their emotions and find difficulty in navigating the psychological complexities of a diagnosis.
The arts, especially poetry, can provide a powerful vessel through which patients can authentically and vulnerably communicate the myriad of emotions they experience. While poetry may not alter the reality of a diagnosis, it can help shift the patient's attitude from one of fear to one of hope. In addition, the active practice of writing poetry can present an opportunity for patients to regain a sense of control and recognize how their identity is more than their diagnosis.
Moreover, patients are rarely asked "What does this all mean to you?" when they are diagnosed with an illness (Rickett et al. 2011). Poetry workshops can serve as a "transformational space" where patients can reflect on their illness journey and seek meaning in their experiences (Rickett et al. 2011). In addition, poetry workshops can offer opportunities for community building and engagement which "is rare within the highly clinical treatment environment" (Tegner et al. 2009). By sharing poems with one another, patients can seek unity in their experiences and lend support to one another, leading to reductions in isolation. It has been reported that poetry can enhance skills such as listening, attentiveness, and observation which are all critical for relationship building (Barrett et al. 2020).
Previous studies have assessed the effects of poetry workshops on patients with serious illnesses; however, the need for more information surrounding this interdisciplinary approach remains pertinent. One study found that poetry therapy interventions improved both emotional resilience and anxiety in cancer patients (Tegner et. al 2009). In another study, poetry intervention was reported to have led to significant decreases in sadness, worry, and fatigue in hospitalized pediatric patients (Delamerced 2021).
This study aims to take both a qualitative and quantitative approach to understanding how poetry workshops can foster community, lessen anxiety, and enhance emotional well-being among patients diagnosed with at least moderate dyspepsia and moderate anxiety or depression
- Conditions
- Dyspepsia, Gastroparesis, Anxiety, Depression
- Being tested
- Poetry, Poetry Manual
- Keywords
- poetry, anxiety, depression, dyspepsia, gastroparesis, virtual, creativity
- Medical subject headings
- Dyspepsia, Gastroparesis, Anxiety Disorders, Depression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
PoetryBehavioural
participants will have the opportunity to craft their own poem and share their art with their fellow participants. This will be facilitated by one of the research team members who will help them craft their own poem.
Poetry ManualBehavioural
Participants will receive a written manual that will guide them on how to write poetry. they will receive one manual each week.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental group | Experimental | Participants selected for the facilitated poetry workshop will meet once a week for approximately 1.5 hours via Zoom. Before each workshop, participants will complete a survey evaluating their general emotional state. Each session will begin with a 10-minute warm-up relating to the workshop's theme to ease the participants into the workshop and to cultivate a comfortable environment for the participants to discuss with one another. The warmup will be followed by the facilitator reading a poem and a discussion of the poem. This discussion will pertain to the participants' initial thoughts and emotions upon hearing the poem. Afterwards, participants will have the opportunity to craft their own poem and share their art with their fellow participants. The workshop will close with a final reading of the poem by one of the participants. At the end of each workshop, patients will complete a survey evaluating their emotional state, Receives: Behavioral: Poetry |
| Control Group | Active comparator | Participants will be provided with a manual with the selected poems, reflection questions, and writing prompts. In accordance with the 8-week schedule followed by the facilitated poetry workshops, participants in the control group will partake in each of the 8 workshops and complete the surveys outside of the scheduled virtual group sessions. The last workshop will be conducted in an interview-style format. After every two workshops, a member of the research team will call each participant to check in on their progress. Receives: Behavioral: Poetry Manual |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Anxiety and Depression Symptoms
Assessed using the HADS questionnaire
Measured: Between baseline and 8 weeks after start of poetry sessions
Change in Dyspepsia Symptoms
This will be assessed using electronic questionnaire that asks them to rate dyspepsia symptoms on a scale from None- Very severe
Measured: Assessed from Baseline to end of poetry sessions (8 weeks)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Jul 2026
- Study start17 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion16 Jul 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for DyspepsiaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Ohio State UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- Model description
- This study will be conducted for 14 weeks and will consist of two groups: a moderator facilitated group and a control group. Each group will consist of 10 participants. The facilitated group will meet via a virtual meeting platform. The control group will participate in each workshop on their individual time. Study participants will be randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group to reduce bias. All participants will receive an online poetry journal that includes the writing prompts for each workshop.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Ohio State University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Subhankar CHAKRABORTY, MD, Ph.D., Principal investigator, Ohio State University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07717541
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY20250588
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 16 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 21 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Due to privacy concerns, we cannot share IPD
Publications
Gaillard R, Mir O. Fluoxetine and motor recovery after ischaemic stroke. Lancet Neurol. 2011 Jun;10(6):499; author reply 500-1. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(11)70111-9. No abstract available.
PubMed 21601157Lee B, Mafi J, Patel MK, Sorensen A, Vangala S, Wei E, Sarkisian C. Quality improvement time-saving intervention to increase use of a clinical decision support tool to reduce low-value diagnostic imaging in a safety net health system. BMJ Open Qual. 2021 Feb;10(1):e001076. doi: 10.1136/bmjoq-2020-001076.
PubMed 33579745Barrett E, Dickson M, Hayes-Brady C, Wheelock H. Storytelling and poetry in the time of coronavirus. Ir J Psychol Med. 2020 Dec;37(4):278-282. doi: 10.1017/ipm.2020.36. Epub 2020 May 14.
PubMed 32406356
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Poetry Workshops to Enhance Patient Well-Being and Reduce Anxiety Levels
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07717541
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STUDY20250588
- Conditions
- Dyspepsia, Gastroparesis, Anxiety, Depression
- Keywords
- poetry, anxiety, depression, dyspepsia, gastroparesis, virtual, creativity
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Ohio State UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 17 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 16 Jul 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 21 Jul 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.
This study examines whether participating in poetry workshops can improve emotional well-being among patients with chronic digestive symptoms. Many individuals with long-standing digestive conditions experience distress, anxiety, isolation, and difficulty expressing their emotions in clinical settings. These emotional challenges can negatively affect daily life, relationships, and overall health.
Poetry writing offers a creative and supportive way for participants to explore their feelings, express their experiences, and build emotional resilience. It also allows individuals to focus on aspects of their identity beyond their illness.
The purpose of this research is to evaluate whether poetry workshops can reduce anxiety, lessen feelings of isolation, and strengthen participants' sense of community and well being.
- Why is this study being done?
The purpose of this research study is to offer a creative outlet for patients to explore their identity and story, build resilience, and seek hope. This study is being done because we understand that the psychological discomfort that can come upon hearing a diagnosis can lead to increased anxiety levels, negatively impacting a patient's well-being and relationships. Often healthcare practitioners may merely view a patient through the lens of their diagnosis, neglecting other aspects of their identity and humanity. Through reading various poems, crafting their own poems, and sharing their work with their peers, we hope the workshops offer a comforting opportunity for the participants to explore their identities and creativity.
Detailed description
Upon hearing a diagnosis, patients can feel overwhelmed and apprehensive as they experience a loss of control over their current state of health. This psychological discomfort combined with often life-threatening symptoms can result in increased anxiety levels in patients. While patient anxiety levels remain a critical issue for investigation, patients diagnosed with illnesses such as cancer often experience a lack of attention from providers towards their psychological wellbeing (Rickett et al. 2011). As a result, patients can feel consumed by their emotions and find difficulty in navigating the psychological complexities of a diagnosis.
The arts, especially poetry, can provide a powerful vessel through which patients can authentically and vulnerably communicate the myriad of emotions they experience. While poetry may not alter the reality of a diagnosis, it can help shift the patient's attitude from one of fear to one of hope. In addition, the active practice of writing poetry can present an opportunity for patients to regain a sense of control and recognize how their identity is more than their diagnosis.
Moreover, patients are rarely asked "What does this all mean to you?" when they are diagnosed with an illness (Rickett et al. 2011). Poetry workshops can serve as a "transformational space" where patients can reflect on their illness journey and seek meaning in their experiences (Rickett et al. 2011). In addition, poetry workshops can offer opportunities for community building and engagement which "is rare within the highly clinical treatment environment" (Tegner et al. 2009). By sharing poems with one another, patients can seek unity in their experiences and lend support to one another, leading to reductions in isolation. It has been reported that poetry can enhance skills such as listening, attentiveness, and observation which are all critical for relationship building (Barrett et al. 2020).
Previous studies have assessed the effects of poetry workshops on patients with serious illnesses; however, the need for more information surrounding this interdisciplinary approach remains pertinent. One study found that poetry therapy interventions improved both emotional resilience and anxiety in cancer patients (Tegner et. al 2009). In another study, poetry intervention was reported to have led to significant decreases in sadness, worry, and fatigue in hospitalized pediatric patients (Delamerced 2021).
This study aims to take both a qualitative and quantitative approach to understanding how poetry workshops can foster community, lessen anxiety, and enhance emotional well-being among patients diagnosed with at least moderate dyspepsia and moderate anxiety or depression
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- This study will be conducted for 14 weeks and will consist of two groups: a moderator facilitated group and a control group. Each group will consist of 10 participants. The facilitated group will meet via a virtual meeting platform. The control group will participate in each workshop on their individual time. Study participants will be randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group to reduce bias. All participants will receive an online poetry journal that includes the writing prompts for each workshop.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental group | Experimental | Behavioral: PoetryParticipants selected for the facilitated poetry workshop will meet once a week for approximately 1.5 hours via Zoom. Before each workshop, participants will complete a survey evaluating their general emotional state. Each session will begin with a 10-minute warm-up relating to the workshop's theme to ease the participants into the workshop and to cultivate a comfortable environment for the participants to discuss with one another. The warmup will be followed by the facilitator reading a poem and a discussion of the poem. This discussion will pertain to the participants' initial thoughts and emotions upon hearing the poem. Afterwards, participants will have the opportunity to craft their own poem and share their art with their fellow participants. The workshop will close with a final reading of the poem by one of the participants. At the end of each workshop, patients will complete a survey evaluating their emotional state, |
| Control Group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Poetry ManualParticipants will be provided with a manual with the selected poems, reflection questions, and writing prompts. In accordance with the 8-week schedule followed by the facilitated poetry workshops, participants in the control group will partake in each of the 8 workshops and complete the surveys outside of the scheduled virtual group sessions. The last workshop will be conducted in an interview-style format. After every two workshops, a member of the research team will call each participant to check in on their progress. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (9 listed)
- • At least 18 years old
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Unable to speak English or participate in virtual sessions
- Younger than 18 years old
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Poetryparticipants will have the opportunity to craft their own poem and share their art with their fellow participants. This will be facilitated by one of the research team members who will help them craft their own poem. | Behavioural | Experimental group |
| Poetry ManualParticipants will receive a written manual that will guide them on how to write poetry. they will receive one manual each week. | Behavioural | Control Group |
Primary outcome
Change in Anxiety and Depression Symptoms
Time frame: Between baseline and 8 weeks after start of poetry sessions
Assessed using the HADS questionnaire
Change in Dyspepsia Symptoms
Time frame: Assessed from Baseline to end of poetry sessions (8 weeks)
This will be assessed using electronic questionnaire that asks them to rate dyspepsia symptoms on a scale from None- Very severe
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 21 Jul 2026.
- Background: PubMed 21601157Gaillard R, Mir O. Fluoxetine and motor recovery after ischaemic stroke. Lancet Neurol. 2011 Jun;10(6):499; author reply 500-1. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(11)70111-9. No abstract available.
- Background: PubMed 33579745Lee B, Mafi J, Patel MK, Sorensen A, Vangala S, Wei E, Sarkisian C. Quality improvement time-saving intervention to increase use of a clinical decision support tool to reduce low-value diagnostic imaging in a safety net health system. BMJ Open Qual. 2021 Feb;10(1):e001076. doi: 10.1136/bmjoq-2020-001076.
- Background: PubMed 32406356Barrett E, Dickson M, Hayes-Brady C, Wheelock H. Storytelling and poetry in the time of coronavirus. Ir J Psychol Med. 2020 Dec;37(4):278-282. doi: 10.1017/ipm.2020.36. Epub 2020 May 14.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Due to privacy concerns, we cannot share IPD
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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.
Subhankar CHAKRABORTY, MD, Ph.D. principal investigator
Ohio State University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Poetry and Poetry Manual in people with Dyspepsia and Gastroparesis, run by Ohio State University at 1 site in United States.
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 9 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Jul 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 United States. 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?
Contact SUBHANKAR CHAKRABORTY, M.D., Ph.D. (614-293-6255', Subhankar.chakraborty@osumc.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Anxiety and Depression Symptoms (time frame: Between baseline and 8 weeks after start of poetry sessions). 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 NCT07717541, which also lists 3 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 21 Jul 2026.