The application of a stress management program among Health Science Center students at Kuwait University
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN12883314 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN12883314 |
| Secondary identifying numbers | HSCKU1 |
- Submission date
- 09/11/2024
- Registration date
- 12/11/2024
- Last edited
- 06/06/2025
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
The purpose of this research is to study the effectiveness of a stress management program among students at the Health Science Center (HSC), Kuwait University.
Who can participate?
Health Science students, HSC, Kuwait University
What does the study involve?
In this study, participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) the control group or (2) the experimental (intervention) group. The participants receive a comprehensive educational seminar relevant to stress management (i.e., a presentation, written hand-outs and a structured home program). The seminar addresses nine topics pertaining to stress management strategies: breathing and imagery techniques; self-care routines; planning for success; meditation strategies; monitoring mechanisms for coping; seeking help for mental health, exercise and health; cognitive behavioral therapy tips (CBTs); and psychoeducation. The whole stress management program takes about one month.
Ethical approval will be obtained from the local institutional review board. Students will be invited to participate in the study through a QR code and a WhatsApp group. The purpose of the study will be explained to the students, and informed consent will be obtained. Confidentiality will be assured. Prior to random allocation, the participants will be contacted through an online form and asked to complete the online Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). At the end of the scale, the participants will be asked if they are willing to participate in the stress management programs. After participating in the stress management program, all participants will be asked to complete the scales again.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
After participating in the stress management program, the study participants are expected to have significantly improved psychological symptoms including stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. No risks are expected and confidentiality is assured.
Where is the study run from?
Kuwait University
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
October 2023 to May 2024
Who is funding the study?
Investigator initiated and funded
Who is the main contact?
Dr. Naser Mohammed Alotaibi, naser.alotaibi@ku.edu.kw
Contact information
Public, Scientific, Principal Investigator
655 st, block 6, building 25
Jaber Alahmed
91716
Kuwait
 ORCID ID |
0000-0002-2591-2511 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 00965-99191253 |
| naser.alotaibi@ku.edu.kw |
Study information
| Study design | Quasi-experimental study design |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Non randomised study |
| Study setting(s) | Internet/virtual, Telephone, University/medical school/dental school |
| Study type | Efficacy |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | The application of a stress management program among Health Science Center (HSC) students at Kuwait University: A quasi-experimental study |
| Study acronym | Stress Management Program |
| Study objectives | It is hypothesized that introducing a stress management program tailored to the culture of Health Science Center (HSC) students at Kuwait University will significantly decrease stress and depression levels compared to a control group. |
| Ethics approval(s) |
Approved 10/01/2024, Health Science Center Ethical Committee (P.O. box 24923 Safat, Kuwait City, 13110, Kuwait; +96524636203; hsc.ethicalcommitee@ku.edu.kw), ref: 580 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Psychological symptoms (i.e. stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms) |
| Intervention | The intervention involves the self-administration of a stress management program for 4 weeks that was developed by three faculty members from the occupational therapy and physical therapy departments. The study used a quasi-experimental design conducted at Kuwait University, Kuwait. A quasi-experimental design was used, as a true randomized process was not performed. In other words, not all HSC students had the same chance of being selected because we did not have a complete list of all HSC students to choose from. This led to selection bias based only on the available HSC students, where random assignment was used only within a preexisting cohort. The participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) the control group or (2) the experimental (intervention) group. Students will be invited to participate in the study through a QR code and a WhatsApp group. The purpose of the study will be explained to the students, and informed consent obtained. Confidentiality is assured. Before random allocation, the participants will be contacted through an online form and asked to complete the online Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). At the end of the scale, the participants will be asked if they are willing to participate in the stress management programs. After participating in the stress management program, all participants will be asked to complete the survey again. Intervention program (stress management program) An orientation session and an educational seminar for the participants will be provided before starting the program, this will thoroughly explain and elaborate on the intervention by the faculty members to the experimental group. The stress management program includes three elements: (1) an oral presentation, (2) a booklet, and (3) a structured home program. The program content included the following components (intervention strategies): breathing and imagery techniques; self-care routine; planning for success; meditation strategies; monitoring mechanisms for coping; seeking help for mental health; exercise and health; cognitive behavioral therapy tips; and, psychoeducation. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure | 1. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress measured using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) at baseline and week 4 2. The perception of stress measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) at baseline and week 4 |
| Secondary outcome measures | The perceptions of the intervention (stress management) program in the experimental group measured using a study questionnaire (3-point Likert scale) at week 4 |
| Overall study start date | 12/10/2023 |
| Completion date | 01/05/2024 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Learner/student |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Upper age limit | 50 Years |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 240 |
| Total final enrolment | 98 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Students from the HSC faculties, including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and allied health 2. 18 years of age and older 3. Had studied for two to seven years |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Students from other faculties at Kuwait University 2. First-year students |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/02/2024 |
| Date of final enrolment | 01/05/2024 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Kuwait
Study participating centre
Sulaibekhat
90805
Kuwait
Sponsor information
University/education
P.O. Box 31470
Kuwait City
90805
Kuwait
| Phone | +9654980000 |
|---|---|
| hsc.ethicalcommitee@ku.edu.kw | |
| Website | https://www.ku.edu.kw/ |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/021e5j056 |
Funders
Funder type
Other
No information available
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | 31/12/2024 |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Available on request |
| Publication and dissemination plan | Planned publication in a peer-reviewed journal |
| IPD sharing plan | The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are/will be available upon request from Dr. Naser Mohammed Alotaibi, naser.alotaibi@ku.edu.kw. Study data that support the findings of this study are not openly available for reasons of sensitivity. |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | 12/05/2025 | 06/06/2025 | Yes | No |
Editorial Notes
06/06/2025: Publication reference added.
12/11/2024: Study's existence confirmed by the Ethics Committee of Kuwait University.
