Stress and Anxiety Management in Nursing Students: Biofeedback and Mindfulness Meditation.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine the efficacy of mindfulness meditation in reducing state anxiety and perceived stress among second-year Thai nursing students beginning clinical training.
Results Summary
Mindfulness meditation significantly decreased anxiety levels and also significantly lowered stress levels in nursing students, demonstrating comparable efficacy to biofeedback in anxiety reduction but superior efficacy in stress reduction.
Population
Second-year Thai nursing students at a public nursing college in Thailand.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
biofeedback | decrease | anxiety | second-year Thai nursing students | - | significantly reduced | #1 |
biofeedback | no change | stress levels | nursing students | - | maintained | #2 |
mindfulness meditation | decrease | anxiety levels | - | - | decreased | #3 |
mindfulness meditation | decrease | stress levels | - | - | significantly lowering | #4 |
biofeedback | decrease | anxiety levels | biofeedback group | - | exhibited significant reduction | #5 |
BACKGROUND: The current study investigated the efficacy of two brief intervention programs-biofeedback and mindfulness meditation-on levels of state anxiety and perceived stress in second-year Thai nursing students as they began clinical training. METHOD: Eighty-nine participants from a public nursing college in Thailand were randomly assigned to one of three groups: biofeedback group, mindfulness meditation group, or a control group. All participants were given pre- and postintervention surveys, which included demographic information; the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (State Anxiety Scale); and the Perceived Stress Scale. RESULTS: Findings indicated that biofeedback significantly reduced anxiety and maintained stress levels in nursing students. Mindfulness meditation similarly decreased anxiety levels, while also significantly lowering stress levels. The biofeedback group exhibited significant reduction in anxiety levels among the three groups at postintervention. CONCLUSION: Despite stressors and demands nursing students experience as they begin clinical practice, study findings support the use of biofeedback and mindfulness meditation interventions to assist nursing students in managing stress and anxiety.