Anxiety and WorryNCT07916025
Effects of Mindfulness and Breathing Exercises in University Students
A study testing Guided Mindfullness Group and Breathing Exercise Group in people with Anxiety and Worry and Exam Anxiety, run by Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This study compared the effects of guided mindfulness and breathing exercises on mindfulness, self-esteem, and anxiety in university students. Mindfulness means paying attention to present-moment experiences without judgment. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Anxiety and Worry, Exam Anxiety, Self Esteem
- What is being tested?
- Guided Mindfullness Group and Breathing Exercise Group
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 106 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 6 Apr 2026to 15 Apr 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 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
None listed.
Who cannot join
- Current use of psychiatric medication.
- Currently receiving psychiatric treatment.
- Intermediate or advanced meditation practice.
- History of neurological disease.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University
Antalya, Alanya
About this study
Official title: Effects of Mindfulness- and Breathing-Based Interventions on Mindfulness, Self-Confidence, Academic Self-Efficacy, and Anxiety in University Students: A Three-Arm Controlled Study
This study compared the effects of guided mindfulness and breathing exercises on mindfulness, self-esteem, and anxiety in university students. Mindfulness means paying attention to present-moment experiences without judgment. The researchers expected both programs to improve mindfulness and self-esteem and reduce anxiety compared with continuing usual daily activities.
The study included three groups: a mindfulness group, a breathing exercise group, and a no-intervention control group. Students in the two intervention groups attended face-to-face group sessions lasting 20-25 minutes each day for five days. The control group continued usual daily activities without receiving a study intervention.
Questionnaires were completed before and immediately after the five-day study period. These assessed mindfulness, self-esteem, anxiety at the time of assessment, the general tendency to experience anxiety, and examination-related anxiety. Changes were compared across the three groups.
Read the detailed description
University students face academic demands that may contribute to anxiety, including anxiety associated with examinations. Brief mindfulness and breathing programs offer approaches that can be delivered within a short period. Comparing programs with the same session frequency and duration allows their relative effects to be examined under a similar time commitment.
The study compared each active program with a no-intervention control group and compared the two active programs with each other. The control group provided a reference for changes occurring over the same assessment period.
Both active programs included attention to breathing. Their comparison therefore concerned the complete programs as delivered, including their shared and distinct components. The study also examined the hypothesis that guided mindfulness would produce greater improvements in mindfulness and anxiety than breathing exercises.
- Conditions
- Anxiety and Worry, Exam Anxiety, Self Esteem, Breathing Exercise
- Being tested
- Guided Mindfullness Group, Breathing Exercise Group
- Keywords
- Anxiety, Exam Anxiety, Self Esteem, breathing exercise, university students
- Medical subject headings
- Anxiety Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Guided Mindfullness GroupBehavioural
Participants received a guided mindfulness program consisting of face-to-face group sessions lasting 20-25 minutes daily for five consecutive days. Sessions focused on body awareness, breath awareness, and observing thoughts, emotions, and sensations in the present moment without judgment.
Breathing Exercise GroupBehavioural
Participants received a guided breathing exercise program consisting of face-to-face group sessions lasting 20-25 minutes daily for five consecutive days. The program included breath awareness, diaphragmatic breathing, slow controlled breathing with equal inhalation and exhalation durations, and breathing with a prolonged exhalation. The final session focused on applying the techniques to examination-related stress.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Guided Mindfulness Group | Experimental | Participants received a guided mindfulness program consisting of face-to-face group sessions lasting 20-25 minutes daily for five consecutive days. Sessions focused on body awareness, breath awareness, and observing thoughts, emotions, and sensations in the present moment without judgment. Receives: Behavioral: Guided Mindfullness Group |
| Breathing Exercise Group | Experimental | Participants received a guided breathing exercise program consisting of face-to-face group sessions lasting 20-25 minutes daily for five consecutive days. The program included breath awareness, diaphragmatic breathing, slow controlled breathing with equal inhalation and exhalation durations, and breathing with a prolonged exhalation. The final session focused on applying the techniques to examination-related stress. Receives: Behavioral: Breathing Exercise Group |
| No-Intervention Control Group | No intervention | Participants continued their usual daily activities during the five-day study period. No study intervention was provided. Outcome questionnaires were completed at the same time points as in the intervention groups: before the study period and immediately after the five-day period. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FFMQ-SF) Total Score
Dispositional mindfulness was assessed using the Turkish version of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FFMQ-SF). This self-report questionnaire contains 20 items rated on a five-point scale from 1 to 5. After appropriate reverse scoring, total scores range from 20 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater mindfulness. Change was calculated as the post-intervention total score minus the baseline total score. Positive change values indicate increased mindfulness, whereas negative values indicate decreased mindfulness.
Measured: Baseline (before the five-day study period) and Day 5 (immediately after completion of the five-day study period)
Secondary outcomes (4)
Change in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory State Anxiety Subscale (STAI-S) Total Score
State anxiety was assessed using the state anxiety subscale of the Turkish State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S). This 20-item self-report scale measures anxiety at the time of assessment. Items are rated on a four-point scale from 1 to 4. After appropriate reverse scoring, total scores range from 20 to 80, with higher scores indicating greater state anxiety. Change was calculated as the post-intervention total score minus the baseline total score. Negative change values indicate reduced anxiety.
Measured: Baseline (before the five-day study period) and Day 5 (immediately after completion of the five-day study period)
Change in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Trait Anxiety Subscale (STAI-T) Total Score
Trait anxiety was assessed using the trait anxiety subscale of the Turkish State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T). This 20-item self-report scale measures the general tendency to experience anxiety across situations. Items are rated on a four-point scale from 1 to 4. After appropriate reverse scoring, total scores range from 20 to 80, with higher scores indicating greater trait anxiety. Change was calculated as the post-intervention total score minus the baseline total score. Negative change values indicate reduced anxiety.
Measured: Baseline (before the five-day study period) and Day 5 (immediately after completion of the five-day study period)
Change in Multidimensional Test Anxiety Scale (MTAS) Total Score
Test anxiety was assessed using the Turkish version of the Multidimensional Test Anxiety Scale (MTAS). This 16-item self-report scale covers worry, cognitive interference, tension, and physiological indicators of test anxiety. Items are rated on a five-point scale from 1 to 5. Total scores range from 16 to 80, with higher scores indicating greater test anxiety. Change was calculated as the post-intervention total score minus the baseline total score. Negative change values indicate reduced test anxiety.
Measured: Baseline (before the five-day study period) and Day 5 (immediately after completion of the five-day study period)
Change in Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) Total Score
Self-esteem was assessed using the 10-item Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Responses were scored from 0 to 3, with appropriate reverse scoring applied to obtain a summated total score ranging from 0 to 30. Higher scores indicate greater self-esteem. Change was calculated as the post-intervention total score minus the baseline total score. Positive change values indicate increased self-esteem, whereas negative values indicate decreased self-esteem.
Measured: Baseline (before the five-day study period) and Day 5 (immediately after completion of the five-day study period)
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 start6 Apr 2026
- Primary completion15 Apr 2026
- Study completion15 Apr 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Anxiety and WorryStudies 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
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 106 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ayça Araci, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07916025
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 29.10.2026
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 29 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: De-identified individual participant data underlying the study results, together with the analysis code and data audit log, will be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Sharing will be subject to the conditions of the ethics approval and participant consent, with appropriate measures to protect participant confidentiality.
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 Mindfulness- and Breathing-Based Interventions on Mindfulness, Self-Confidence, Academic Self-Efficacy, and Anxiety in University Students: A Three-Arm Controlled Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07916025
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 29.10.2026
- Conditions
- Anxiety and Worry, Exam Anxiety, Self Esteem, Breathing Exercise
- Keywords
- Anxiety, Exam Anxiety, Self Esteem, breathing exercise, university students
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 106 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 6 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Apr 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 study compared the effects of guided mindfulness and breathing exercises on mindfulness, self-esteem, and anxiety in university students. Mindfulness means paying attention to present-moment experiences without judgment. The researchers expected both programs to improve mindfulness and self-esteem and reduce anxiety compared with continuing usual daily activities.
The study included three groups: a mindfulness group, a breathing exercise group, and a no-intervention control group. Students in the two intervention groups attended face-to-face group sessions lasting 20-25 minutes each day for five days. The control group continued usual daily activities without receiving a study intervention.
Questionnaires were completed before and immediately after the five-day study period. These assessed mindfulness, self-esteem, anxiety at the time of assessment, the general tendency to experience anxiety, and examination-related anxiety. Changes were compared across the three groups.
Detailed description
University students face academic demands that may contribute to anxiety, including anxiety associated with examinations. Brief mindfulness and breathing programs offer approaches that can be delivered within a short period. Comparing programs with the same session frequency and duration allows their relative effects to be examined under a similar time commitment.
The study compared each active program with a no-intervention control group and compared the two active programs with each other. The control group provided a reference for changes occurring over the same assessment period.
Both active programs included attention to breathing. Their comparison therefore concerned the complete programs as delivered, including their shared and distinct components. The study also examined the hypothesis that guided mindfulness would produce greater improvements in mindfulness and anxiety than breathing exercises.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Guided Mindfulness Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Guided Mindfullness GroupParticipants received a guided mindfulness program consisting of face-to-face group sessions lasting 20-25 minutes daily for five consecutive days. Sessions focused on body awareness, breath awareness, and observing thoughts, emotions, and sensations in the present moment without judgment. |
| Breathing Exercise Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Breathing Exercise GroupParticipants received a guided breathing exercise program consisting of face-to-face group sessions lasting 20-25 minutes daily for five consecutive days. The program included breath awareness, diaphragmatic breathing, slow controlled breathing with equal inhalation and exhalation durations, and breathing with a prolonged exhalation. The final session focused on applying the techniques to examination-related stress. |
| No-Intervention Control Group | No intervention | –Participants continued their usual daily activities during the five-day study period. No study intervention was provided. Outcome questionnaires were completed at the same time points as in the intervention groups: before the study period and immediately after the five-day period. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (0 listed)
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Current use of psychiatric medication.
- Currently receiving psychiatric treatment.
- Intermediate or advanced meditation practice.
- History of neurological disease.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Guided Mindfullness GroupParticipants received a guided mindfulness program consisting of face-to-face group sessions lasting 20-25 minutes daily for five consecutive days. Sessions focused on body awareness, breath awareness, and observing thoughts, emotions, and sensations in the present moment without judgment. | Behavioural | Guided Mindfulness Group |
| Breathing Exercise GroupParticipants received a guided breathing exercise program consisting of face-to-face group sessions lasting 20-25 minutes daily for five consecutive days. The program included breath awareness, diaphragmatic breathing, slow controlled breathing with equal inhalation and exhalation durations, and breathing with a prolonged exhalation. The final session focused on applying the techniques to examination-related stress. | Behavioural | Breathing Exercise Group |
Primary outcome
Change in Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FFMQ-SF) Total Score
Time frame: Baseline (before the five-day study period) and Day 5 (immediately after completion of the five-day study period)
Dispositional mindfulness was assessed using the Turkish version of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FFMQ-SF). This self-report questionnaire contains 20 items rated on a five-point scale from 1 to 5. After appropriate reverse scoring, total scores range from 20 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater mindfulness. Change was calculated as the post-intervention total score minus the baseline total score. Positive change values indicate increased mindfulness, whereas negative values indicate decreased mindfulness.
4 secondary outcomes
Change in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory State Anxiety Subscale (STAI-S) Total Score
Time frame: Baseline (before the five-day study period) and Day 5 (immediately after completion of the five-day study period)
Change in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Trait Anxiety Subscale (STAI-T) Total Score
Time frame: Baseline (before the five-day study period) and Day 5 (immediately after completion of the five-day study period)
Change in Multidimensional Test Anxiety Scale (MTAS) Total Score
Time frame: Baseline (before the five-day study period) and Day 5 (immediately after completion of the five-day study period)
Change in Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) Total Score
Time frame: Baseline (before the five-day study period) and Day 5 (immediately after completion of the five-day study period)
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. De-identified individual participant data underlying the study results, together with the analysis code and data audit log, will be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Sharing will be subject to the conditions of the ethics approval and participant consent, with appropriate measures to protect participant confidentiality.
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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 Guided Mindfullness Group and Breathing Exercise Group in people with Anxiety and Worry and Exam Anxiety, run by Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat 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 0 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: 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 Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FFMQ-SF) Total Score (time frame: Baseline (before the five-day study period) and Day 5 (immediately after completion of the five-day study period)). 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.