The Effect of Progressive Relaxation and Breathing Exercises Accompanied by Music on the Stress Levels of Nursing Students and Their Bio-psycho-social Responses

Stress is a psychosocial factor that affects students' academic performance and well-being. The presence and level of stress have a positive or negative impact on learning and thinking, and students show behavioral, emotional, and physical symptoms of experiencing stress For this reason, it is very important for university students to apply stress reduction methods, especially non-drug methods. Progressive relaxation and deep breathing exercises with music are effective methods of coping with stress. When the literature is examined, it is seen that the use of music has recently been effective in reducing the anxiety and stress experienced by many students during the education process. At the same time, a progressive relaxation exercise integrated with deep breathing exercises helps a person to feel the difference between tension and laxity in the body and allows the person to learn to relax on their own, thus reducing physical and emotional tension. Thus, the individual moves away from disturbing stimuli that reduce the quality of life such as anxiety, pain, and stress. In accordance with the nursing education program carried out with theoretical and practical application course hours, students considering the stress they are exposed to and the behavioral, emotional, and physical problems that arise with stress, there is a need for research that uses mind-body applications to support nursing students. At the end of the research, it is foreseen that the stress levels of nursing students and the symptoms seen due to stress can be reduced.

Method: The universe of the study will consist of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year nursing undergraduate students who are studying and interning at Gülhane Nursing Faculty of Health Sciences University in 2022-2023. As a result of the power analysis, the minimum sample size was found to be 140 students, with 70 students in each group. During the study, in order to strengthen the results of the research and increase reliability, it was determined that the sample was 154 students with 77 experiments and 77 control groups with an increase of at least 10%. Student sampling; After each class is evaluated as a layer, proportional stratification will be taken by sampling method according to layer weight (number of students). 44 students from 2nd grade, 52 students from 3rd grade, and 58 students from 4th grade will participate in the research. Students have completed the Voluntary Consent Form for Nursing Students, Personal Information Form, Perceived Stress, and Bio-psycho-social Response Scale, then students who meet the inclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Exercises will be applied to the intervention groups for 6 weeks. There will be no intervention in the control group. At the end of 6 weeks and 2 weeks after the last application (8. Weeks) intervention and control groups will refill the scales.

Inclusion criteria

• To be a nursing student who is studying at Gulhane Nursing Faculty of Health Sciences University and going on internship
• Not to have any obstacles in oral and written communication in Turkish
• Volunteering to participate in research

Exclusion criteria

• If the student has a disease that prevents the relaxation exercise (Heart Failure, Musculoskeletal System Problem, etc.)
• The student is participating in another relaxation program
• The student is taking a psychiatric medication that has a relaxing effect