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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07462936

Effect of Expressive Arts Therapy on Death Anxiety in Intensive Care Unit Nurses

This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effect of expressive arts therapy on death anxiety among intensive care unit nurses. A total of 66 nurses were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group participated in a structured expressive arts therapy programme consisting of weekly sessions for six weeks, while the control group received no intervention during the study period. Death anxiety levels were assessed using the Death Anxiety Scale before and after the intervention. The study aimed to determine whether expressive arts therapy is effective in reducing death anxiety and improving psychological well-being among intensive care unit nurses.

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Key information

Conditions

Death Anxiety Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Necrophobia Occupational Diseases Occupational Stress Personal Satisfaction Psychological Distress Psychological Well-Being Stress, Psychological

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Samsun Training and Research Hospital

Atakent, Samsun, 55200, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

This randomized controlled study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured expressive arts therapy program in reducing death anxiety among intensive care unit nurses. Participants were randomly assigned to either an expressive arts therapy intervention group or a control group. The intervention consisted of six weekly sessions incorporating creative techniques such as drawing, clay work, and collage to facilitate emotional expression and reflection on experiences related to death and patient care. Death anxiety levels were assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention using the Death Anxiety Scale. The study aimed to determine whether expressive arts therapy could reduce death anxiety and improve psychological well-being among intensive care nurses exposed to frequent patient mortality.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Registered nurses working in intensive care units At least 1 year of experience in an intensive care setting Having previously encountered patient death in clinical practice Willingness to participate in the study

Providing written informed Exclusion Criteria:

Currently receiving psychological or psychiatric treatment for severe mental health problems Participation in similar psychological or psychosocial intervention programs during the study period

Treatment and study plan

Expressive Arts Therapy

Behavioral

Expressive arts therapy was delivered as a structured group intervention consisting of six weekly sessions including drawing, clay work, and collage.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Death Anxiety Scale Total Score

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 6 (post-intervention)

    Death anxiety was assessed using the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS; Sarıkaya & Baloğlu, 2016), a validated self-report instrument consisting of 20 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1-5).

    Total scores range from 20 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater levels of death anxiety.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in "Uncertainty About Death" Subscale Score

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 6 (post-intervention)

    The Uncertainty About Death subscale of the Death Anxiety Scale evaluates ambiguity and fear related to the unknown aspects of death.

    Subscale scores are derived from relevant items within the DAS, with higher scores indicating greater uncertainty and anxiety regarding death.

  2. Change in "Thoughts About Death and Witnessing Death" Subscale Score

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 6 (post-intervention)

    This subscale measures cognitive and emotional responses related to thinking about death and exposure to dying individuals.

    Higher scores indicate more frequent and distressing death-related thoughts and experiences.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Ondokuz Mayıs University

Other

Registry information

Acronym: Expressive Art

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2026
First posted
Mar 10, 2026
Registry last updated
Mar 30, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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