The Effect of Game-Based Learning on Identifying Cognitive Distortions and Interpersonal Communication Competence in Nursing Students' in the Care of Anxious Individuals

Data will be collected using the "Sociodemographic Information Form," "Cognitive Distortion Scale," and "Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale." Expert opinions will be obtained on the case of an anxious patient hospitalized, and the final outcome of the case will be provided. The case of the anxious patient will be turned into a game using an interactive web-based tool (https://www.powtoon.com/) that resembles real life. The program will use a voice chat tool and various characters. In the game, students in the intervention group will be asked to identify cognitive distortions and determine communication techniques through questions created for the anxious individual. Students in the intervention group will be given the opportunity to play the game at least twice over a two-week period. One week after playing the game, the Cognitive Distortion Scale and Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale will be completed. One week after playing the game, the Cognitive Distortion Scale and Interpersonal Communication Competence scales will be completed. To determine the interaction over time, follow-up tests (Cognitive Distortion Scale and Interpersonal Communication Competence) will be conducted two months after the final test application. Following the follow-up tests, the control group students will participate in a case discussion, student feedback will be collected, and the game link will be shared. The normality of the data distribution will be assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and histogram. If the assumption of normal distribution is not met, generalized linear models or appropriate non-parametric methods (Friedman test and Mann-Whitney U test) will be used to compare changes between groups.

Inclusion criteria

• Being a first-year nursing student,
• Successfully completing the self-awareness and communication management course,
• Having internet access, and
• Being willing to participate in the research.

Exclusion criteria

• Difficulty speaking and understanding Turkish,
• Not participating in theoretical training,
• Not playing the game prepared for the case,
• Incomplete or missing data collection forms,
• Wanting to leave the research.