Effect of Emotional Freedom Technique on Nursing Students Exam Anxiety
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-35
SponsorNecmettin Erbakan University
About this trial
Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) on the state exam anxiety levels of nursing students.
Background: Exam anxiety is a common problem among nursing students. EFT has emerged as a complementary method to reduce exam anxiety. However, experimental studies on this subject are limited in the literature.
Design: Randomized controlled trial design.
Methods: This study was carried out with second-year students enrolled in the Surgical Nursing course at the Faculty of Nursing of a state university. Participants were assigned to intervention and control groups using simple random sampling. One hour before the exam, all students were present in the exam hall. While the intervention group received EFT, the control group was given free time. Data were collected using the State Test Anxiety Scale (STAS) and the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUD). Descriptive statistics, normality tests (Shapiro-Wilk/Kolmogorov-Smirnov), independent and paired samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon test, and two-way mixed ANOVA were used for data analysis. The significance level was set at p\<0.05.
Outcomes: There were no significant differences between the groups in the pre-test STAS total and subscale scores or SUD scores. However, post-test results revealed statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups in all measurements (p\<0.05), with effect sizes ranging from medium to large. The time and group-time interaction effects for STAS total and subscale scores and SUD scores were also significant (p\<0.05), and the effect size of the change over time was determined to be large (η² \> 0.14).
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that EFT is effective in reducing exam anxiety among nursing students. EFT should be considered a complementary intervention in managing exam anxiety. It is recommended that EFT be integrated into the support services provided to students prior to examinations.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Volunteers to participate in the study • Qualified to take the final exam of the Surgical Diseases Nursing course
Disqualifiers
Refusing to participate in the study
Receiving psychiatric treatment/receiving psychological support
Failing the Surgical Diseases Nursing course application
A student who did not take the course exam due to illness, delay, or similar reasons
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Emotional Freedom Technique
BehavioralEmotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is used as an effective method for managing various adverse conditions, including the reduction of exam anxiety. Although there are several studies in the literature on this topic, research conducted specifically with nursing students remains limited. In particular, the Surgical Nursing course is a fundamental subject offered in the second year of nursing education, encompassing both theoretical and clinical components. Academic success in this course is an important indicator of the quality of nursing education. Therefore, as a surgical nursing instructor, it is believed that reducing exam anxiety can positively influence student performance. This study also aims to improve student success through anxiety management. To date, no studies addressing this issue with nursing students have been found in the literature.
Treatment groups
82 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: ExperimentalExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: ControlNo intervention 0 interventions
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Change in Exam Anxiety Scale scores
Change in Exam Anxiety Scale (STAS) scores before and after the intervention
Time frame
The intervention started one hour before the surgical nursing final exam. The STAS pre-test was administered one hour before the exam, followed by the intervention (EFT). After the intervention, the STAS post-test was conducted.Secondary outcomes
1
Change in Subjective Units of Distress (SUD) scores
Change in Subjective Units of Distress (SUD) scores before and after the intervention
Time frame
The intervention started one hour before the surgical nursing final exam. The SUD pre-test was administered one hour before the exam, followed by the intervention (EFT). After the intervention, the SUD post-test was conductedSponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov