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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07699835

Efficacy of a Gamified Blended Mindfulness Program to Reduce Burnout, Stress, and Anxiety in Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The primary purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy of a 12-week gamified blended mindfulness intervention in reducing academic burnout, perceived stress, and anxiety among first-year nursing students. Nursing students frequently face high academic and clinical demands that deplete their psychological resources, leading to high levels of stress and emotional exhaustion during their training. While mindfulness interventions can mitigate these negative effects, adherence to standard digital programs often remains a challenge.

To address this, the study investigates the impact of incorporating gamification elements into a mindfulness program. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups: a minimal-treatment control group, a standard blended mindfulness group, or a gamified blended mindfulness group. The intervention spans 12 weeks and consists of 24 guided meditation sessions (16 online and 8 in-person).

The central hypothesis is that the gamified architecture will act as a behavioral reinforcement mechanism, improving student adherence to the program. Consequently, researchers hypothesize that participants in the gamified group will exhibit significantly lower post-intervention levels of emotional exhaustion, perceived stress, and anxiety compared to those in both the standard mindfulness intervention and the control group.

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Key information

Conditions

Burnout Syndrome Anxiety Anxiety Disorders Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Burnout, Psychological Mental Disorders Psychological Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Associated With Academic Pressure Stress, Psychological

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Ceuta

Ceuta, 51005, Spain

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Enrolled as a first-year undergraduate nursing student at the Ceuta Campus of the University of Granada (Spain).
  • Aged 18 years or older.
  • Voluntarily provide informed consent prior to participation.

Exclusion criteria

  • Pre-existing clinical diagnosis of anxiety or depressive disorders.
  • Current use of prescribed psychotropic medications (concurrent psychopharmacological treatment).

Treatment and study plan

Psychoeducation and Free App Recommendation

Behavioral

Participants receive baseline information regarding the definition and health effects of meditation, alongside advice on how to independently practice it using free sessions available on a mobile application.

Standard Blended Mindfulness Program

Behavioral

A 12-week program consisting of 24 guided meditation sessions (16 online and 8 in-person). Sessions are led by a mindfulness expert, last between 15 and 30 minutes, and focus on breathing techniques and guided meditation practices.

Gamified Blended Mindfulness Program

Behavioral

A 12-week, 24-session blended mindfulness program (15-30 minutes per session) integrated with gamification elements. Participants earn one point per completed session to enter a draw for a premium nursing training app subscription. The system also provides weekly automated score updates and a final anonymized leaderboard.

Primary outcomes

  1. Academic Burnout: Emotional Exhaustion

    Time frame: Baseline (T0) and immediately following the 12-week intervention period (T1).

    Assessed using the Emotional Exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS). This subscale consists of 5 items rated on a 7-point frequency scale ranging from 0 (never) to 6 (daily). Higher scores indicate higher levels of emotional exhaustion.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Academic Burnout: Cynicism

    Time frame: Baseline (T0) and immediately following the 12-week intervention period (T1).

    Assessed using the Cynicism subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS). It consists of 4 items rated on a 7-point scale (0 = never to 6 = daily). Higher scores indicate higher levels of cynicism toward studies.

  2. Academic Burnout: Academic Efficacy

    Time frame: Baseline (T0) and immediately following the 12-week intervention period (T1).

    ssessed using the Academic Efficacy subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS). It consists of 6 items rated on a 7-point scale (0 = never to 6 = daily). Higher scores indicate higher levels of academic efficacy (considered a protective factor against burnout).

  3. Perceived Stress

    Time frame: Baseline (T0) and immediately following the 12-week intervention period (T1).

    Assessed using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Higher total scores indicate higher levels of perceived stress.

  4. Anxiety

    Time frame: Baseline (T0) and immediately following the 12-week intervention period (T1).

    Assessed using the anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). This subscale consists of 7 items, each scored from 0 to 3, with subscale totals ranging from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate higher levels of anxiety symptomatology.

  5. Depression

    Time frame: Baseline (T0) and immediately following the 12-week intervention period (T1).

    Assessed using the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). This subscale consists of 7 items, each scored from 0 to 3, with subscale totals ranging from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate higher levels of depressive symptomatology.

  6. Student Engagement

    Time frame: Baseline (T0) and immediately following the 12-week intervention period (T1).

    Evaluated using the 9-item short version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students (UWES-9). All items use a 0-6 frequency scale. Higher scores indicate higher levels of academic work engagement.

  7. Dispositional Mindfulness

    Time frame: Baseline (T0) and immediately following the 12-week intervention period (T1).

    Measured by the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). This is a 15-item instrument designed to assess core characteristics of dispositional mindfulness, specifically open awareness and attention to the present moment. Higher scores denote greater mindfulness.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Universidad de Granada

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Efficacy of a Gamified Blended Mindfulness Program to Reduce Burnout, Stress, and Anxiety in Nursing Students

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jul 13, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 13, 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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