Social AnxietyNCT07914699
Effects of Tabletop Role-Playing Games on Nursing Students
A study testing Tabletop Role-Playing Game Program in people with Social Anxiety and Self Confidence, run by Kocaeli University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This randomized controlled study evaluates the effects of a four-month tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) program on self-confidence, social anxiety, and mental well-being among undergraduate nursing students. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Social Anxiety, Self Confidence, Psychological Well-Being
- What is being tested?
- Tabletop Role-Playing Game Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 230 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 5 Sep 2025to 20 Jan 2026
- 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
- Being enrolled in the first, second, third, or fourth year of the undergraduate nursing programme at Kocaeli University during the 2025-2026 academic year.
- Voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study.
- Being able to speak and understand Turkish.
- Having no previous experience with tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs).
- Providing informed consent to participate in the study.
Who cannot join
- Not attending the TTRPG sessions during the intervention period, according to the predefined study criteria.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Effects of Tabletop Role-Playing Games on Self-Confidence, Social Anxiety, and Mental Well-being Among Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Study
This randomized controlled study evaluates the effects of a four-month tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) program on self-confidence, social anxiety, and mental well-being among undergraduate nursing students. TTRPGs are collaborative games in which participants create and portray fictional characters in a structured fictional setting, with dice used to determine the outcomes of certain actions. Nursing students are randomly assigned to a TTRPG intervention group or a no-intervention control group. Self-confidence, social anxiety, and mental well-being are assessed at baseline, at month 2, and at month 4 using validated self-report scales.
Read the detailed description
Nursing education can be demanding and may be associated with psychological challenges, including reduced self-confidence, social anxiety, and difficulties in maintaining mental well-being. Innovative and engaging approaches that may support nursing students' psychological well-being are therefore of interest. Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) provide a collaborative and interactive environment in which participants create and portray fictional characters, communicate with other players, solve problems, make decisions, and respond to changing situations within a structured fictional setting. The use of dice adds an element of uncertainty and allows different outcomes to emerge during gameplay.
This study investigates whether participation in a structured TTRPG program improves self-confidence and mental well-being and reduces social anxiety among nursing students. Students are stratified by academic year and randomly allocated to an intervention group or a control group using a computer-generated allocation sequence with sequentially prepared opaque sealed envelopes.
The intervention group participates in face-to-face TTRPG sessions informed by Dungeons \& Dragons gameplay mechanics, delivered in 60-minute sessions twice weekly for four months in small groups of approximately seven students. A game leader facilitates the sessions according to a standardized study protocol. The intervention is designed as an educational and recreational activity, not as a therapeutic or psychological treatment. The control group receives no study intervention and continues usual academic and social activities.
Outcomes are assessed at baseline, at month 2 (mid-intervention), and at month 4 (end of intervention) using the Self-Confidence Scale, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (anxiety and avoidance subscales), and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. Changes in these outcomes are compared between and within groups over time.
- Conditions
- Social Anxiety, Self Confidence, Psychological Well-Being
- Being tested
- Tabletop Role-Playing Game Program
- Keywords
- Tabletop Role-Playing Games, Role Playing, Game-Based Learning, Nursing Students, Nursing Education, Mental Health
- Medical subject headings
- Psychological Well-Being
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Tabletop Role-Playing Game ProgramBehavioural
A structured, face-to-face tabletop role-playing game program delivered in 60-minute sessions twice weekly for four months in small groups of approximately seven students, using printed game materials, character sheets, dice, and the Dungeons \& Dragons rulebook. Each participant creates a fictional character; a trained game leader presents the scenario and facilitates the narrative, while students communicate, plan strategies, make individual and group decisions, and solve problems within the game. Sessions are recreational and collaborative and do not include psychotherapy or counselling. Session structure, frequency, duration, and facilitation procedures are standardized across groups.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TTRPG) Program | Experimental | Undergraduate nursing students (stratified by academic year) participate in a structured, face-to-face tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) program informed by Dungeons \& Dragons gameplay mechanics, delivered in 60-minute sessions twice weekly for four months in small groups of approximately seven students. Outcomes are assessed at baseline, month 2, and month 4. Receives: Behavioral: Tabletop Role-Playing Game Program |
| Control: Usual Academic Activities | No intervention | Undergraduate nursing students (stratified by academic year) receive no study intervention and continue their usual academic and social activities during the four-month study period. Outcomes are assessed at baseline, month 2, and month 4. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Self-Confidence Total Score Measured by the Self-Confidence Scale
Self-confidence is measured with the Turkish Self-Confidence Scale (Akın, 2007), a 33-item self-report instrument rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = never, 5 = always). The total score is reported as the mean item score, ranging from 1 (minimum) to 5 (maximum); higher scores indicate greater self-confidence.
Measured: Baseline, month 2 (mid-intervention), and month 4 (end of intervention)
Secondary outcomes (3)
Change in Social Fear/Anxiety Measured by the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Fear/Anxiety Subscale
Social fear/anxiety is measured with the fear/anxiety subscale of the Turkish version of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS). Each of the 24 social and performance situations is rated for fear/anxiety from 0 (none) to 3 (severe). Subscale scores range from 0 (minimum) to 72 (maximum); higher scores indicate greater social fear/anxiety (worse outcome).
Measured: Baseline, month 2 (mid-intervention), and month 4 (end of intervention)
Change in Social Avoidance Measured by the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Avoidance Subscale
Social avoidance is measured with the avoidance subscale of the Turkish version of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS). Each of the 24 social and performance situations is rated for avoidance from 0 (never) to 3 (usually). Subscale scores range from 0 (minimum) to 72 (maximum); higher scores indicate greater social avoidance (worse outcome).
Measured: Baseline, month 2 (mid-intervention), and month 4 (end of intervention)
Change in Mental Well-being Measured by the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS)
Mental well-being is measured with the Turkish version of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, a 14-item self-report instrument rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = none of the time, 5 = all of the time). Total scores range from 14 (minimum) to 70 (maximum); higher scores indicate greater mental well-being.
Measured: Baseline, month 2 (mid-intervention), and month 4 (end of intervention)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Nov 2026
- Study start5 Sep 2025
- Primary completion5 Sep 2025
- Study completion20 Jan 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Social AnxietyStudies 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
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group receiving tabletop role-playing game sessions or a control group. Outcomes were assessed repeatedly over the study period.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 230 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Kocaeli University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Şükriye ŞAHİN, Kocaeli University
- Investigators
- Sukriye Sahin, Principal investigator, Kocaeli University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Kocaeli, Türkiye
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07914699
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 202537
- Other IDs
- 1919B012413400
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 4 Nov 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers because no data-sharing plan has been established. The study data will be handled confidentially to protect participants' privacy and comply with applicable ethical requirements.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Tabletop Role-Playing Games on Self-Confidence, Social Anxiety, and Mental Well-being Among Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07914699
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 202537
- Conditions
- Social Anxiety, Self Confidence, Psychological Well-Being
- Keywords
- Tabletop Role-Playing Games, Role Playing, Game-Based Learning, Nursing Students, Nursing Education, Mental Health
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 230 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Kocaeli UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 5 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 5 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 20 Jan 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 4 Nov 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 randomized controlled study evaluates the effects of a four-month tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) program on self-confidence, social anxiety, and mental well-being among undergraduate nursing students. TTRPGs are collaborative games in which participants create and portray fictional characters in a structured fictional setting, with dice used to determine the outcomes of certain actions. Nursing students are randomly assigned to a TTRPG intervention group or a no-intervention control group. Self-confidence, social anxiety, and mental well-being are assessed at baseline, at month 2, and at month 4 using validated self-report scales.
Detailed description
Nursing education can be demanding and may be associated with psychological challenges, including reduced self-confidence, social anxiety, and difficulties in maintaining mental well-being. Innovative and engaging approaches that may support nursing students' psychological well-being are therefore of interest. Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) provide a collaborative and interactive environment in which participants create and portray fictional characters, communicate with other players, solve problems, make decisions, and respond to changing situations within a structured fictional setting. The use of dice adds an element of uncertainty and allows different outcomes to emerge during gameplay.
This study investigates whether participation in a structured TTRPG program improves self-confidence and mental well-being and reduces social anxiety among nursing students. Students are stratified by academic year and randomly allocated to an intervention group or a control group using a computer-generated allocation sequence with sequentially prepared opaque sealed envelopes.
The intervention group participates in face-to-face TTRPG sessions informed by Dungeons \& Dragons gameplay mechanics, delivered in 60-minute sessions twice weekly for four months in small groups of approximately seven students. A game leader facilitates the sessions according to a standardized study protocol. The intervention is designed as an educational and recreational activity, not as a therapeutic or psychological treatment. The control group receives no study intervention and continues usual academic and social activities.
Outcomes are assessed at baseline, at month 2 (mid-intervention), and at month 4 (end of intervention) using the Self-Confidence Scale, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (anxiety and avoidance subscales), and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. Changes in these outcomes are compared between and within groups over time.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group receiving tabletop role-playing game sessions or a control group. Outcomes were assessed repeatedly over the study period.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TTRPG) Program | Experimental | Behavioral: Tabletop Role-Playing Game ProgramUndergraduate nursing students (stratified by academic year) participate in a structured, face-to-face tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) program informed by Dungeons \& Dragons gameplay mechanics, delivered in 60-minute sessions twice weekly for four months in small groups of approximately seven students. Outcomes are assessed at baseline, month 2, and month 4. |
| Control: Usual Academic Activities | No intervention | –Undergraduate nursing students (stratified by academic year) receive no study intervention and continue their usual academic and social activities during the four-month study period. Outcomes are assessed at baseline, month 2, and month 4. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Being enrolled in the first, second, third, or fourth year of the undergraduate nursing programme at Kocaeli University during the 2025-2026 academic year.
- Voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study.
- Being able to speak and understand Turkish.
- Having no previous experience with tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs).
- Providing informed consent to participate in the study.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Not attending the TTRPG sessions during the intervention period, according to the predefined study 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tabletop Role-Playing Game ProgramA structured, face-to-face tabletop role-playing game program delivered in 60-minute sessions twice weekly for four months in small groups of approximately seven students, using printed game materials, character sheets, dice, and the Dungeons \& Dragons rulebook. Each participant creates a fictional character; a trained game leader presents the scenario and facilitates the narrative, while students communicate, plan strategies, make individual and group decisions, and solve problems within the game. Sessions are recreational and collaborative and do not include psychotherapy or counselling. Session structure, frequency, duration, and facilitation procedures are standardized across groups. | Behavioural | Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TTRPG) Program |
Primary outcome
Change in Self-Confidence Total Score Measured by the Self-Confidence Scale
Time frame: Baseline, month 2 (mid-intervention), and month 4 (end of intervention)
Self-confidence is measured with the Turkish Self-Confidence Scale (Akın, 2007), a 33-item self-report instrument rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = never, 5 = always). The total score is reported as the mean item score, ranging from 1 (minimum) to 5 (maximum); higher scores indicate greater self-confidence.
3 secondary outcomes
Change in Social Fear/Anxiety Measured by the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Fear/Anxiety Subscale
Time frame: Baseline, month 2 (mid-intervention), and month 4 (end of intervention)
Change in Social Avoidance Measured by the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Avoidance Subscale
Time frame: Baseline, month 2 (mid-intervention), and month 4 (end of intervention)
Change in Mental Well-being Measured by the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS)
Time frame: Baseline, month 2 (mid-intervention), and month 4 (end of 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 4 Nov 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers because no data-sharing plan has been established. The study data will be handled confidentially to protect participants' privacy and comply with applicable ethical requirements.
Related trials for Social Anxiety
Not yet recruiting
Preventive and Personalized Digital Emotion Regulation Skills Intervention to Reduce Depression and Anxiety in Youths With Adverse Childhood Experiences
Adverse Childhood Experience, Depression / Major Depressive Disorder
Recruiting
Bonding Before Birth: A mHealth Intervention for First-time Expectant Couples
Anxiety, Pregnancy
Recruiting
Comprehensive Assessment of Rehabilitation Experience Using the SAFE Scale
Caregiver Anxiety, Acquired Brain Injury
Not yet recruiting
Online Study on the Impact of a Self-Help Tool for Social Anxiety
Social Anxiety
Active, not recruiting
Targeting Social Function in Anxiety and Eating Disorders
Eating Disorders, Anorexia Nervosa
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.
Sukriye Sahin principal investigator
Kocaeli University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Kocaeli, Türkiye
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Tabletop Role-Playing Game Program in people with Social Anxiety and Self Confidence, run by Kocaeli 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 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 4 Nov 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?
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?
Change in Self-Confidence Total Score Measured by the Self-Confidence Scale (time frame: Baseline, month 2 (mid-intervention), and month 4 (end of intervention)). 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 4 Nov 2026.