A quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, and three-month follow-up design will be used. Nursing students assigned to the intervention group will participate in structured robotic mental health simulation sessions involving interactions with a robot programmed to portray patients experiencing common psychiatric conditions, while the control group will receive traditional teaching methods. Outcomes will be assessed using validated measures of professional identity, interpersonal communication competence, and emotional intelligence before the intervention, immediately after completion, and three months later to determine both immediate and sustained educational effects
Undergraduate nursing students enrolled in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing course (NURS 224) during the study period Students registered in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the College of Nursing, University of Hafr Al Batin Willingness to participate in the study and provide informed consent Attendance in both theoretical and practical components of the course during the intervention period Availability to participate in simulation sessions and complete all study assessments at baseline, post-test, and follow-up
Students who refuse or withdraw consent at any stage of the study Students who fail to complete all required data collection points (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up) Students absent from the robotic simulation sessions or traditional teaching sessions during the intervention period Students with prior formal training or extensive experience in psychiatric simulation-based education (if applicable to avoid bias)
Parallel
Mental Health Robotic Simulation Training
DeviceMental Health Robotic Simulation Training is an educational intervention that utilizes a humanoid or socially assistive robot programmed to simulate patients experiencing psychiatric and emotional conditions, including anxiety, depression, psychosis, aggressive behavior, and emotional distress. The intervention is integrated into the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing course and provides structured simulation experiences focused on therapeutic communication, mental health assessment, nurse-patient relationship development, crisis intervention, suicide risk assessment, emotional support, and de-escalation strategies. Each simulation session includes pre-briefing, active interaction with the robotic patient, and faculty-guided debriefing. The intervention aims to enhance nursing students' professional identity, interpersonal communication competence, and emotional intelligence through experiential and reflective learning.
Professional Identity
Professional identity will be assessed using the Professional Identity Scale for Nursing Students (PISNS), a 17-item instrument measuring professional self-image, social modeling, career choice independence, social comparison and self-reflection, and retention-related perceptions. Higher scores indicate a stronger professional identity.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence will be measured using the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Scale (SSREIS), a 33-item self-report instrument assessing participants' ability to perceive, understand, regulate, and utilize emotions. Higher scores indicate greater emotional intelligence.
Interpersonal Communication Competence
Interpersonal communication competence was assessed using the brief version "10-item" Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale (ICCS), originally developed by(Rubin \& Martin, 1994). The scale evaluates individuals' perceived competence in interpersonal communication across several domains, including self-disclosure, empathy, social relaxation, assertiveness, interaction management, expressiveness, supportiveness, and communication effectiveness.
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