The effect of guided imagery-supported psychoeducation on depression, self-esteem, and stress levels in individuals diagnosed with depression

This study is a randomized controlled experimental trial conducted to determine the effects of a guided imagery-supported psychoeducation program on depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and perceived stress levels in individuals diagnosed with depression. The population of the study consisted of patients diagnosed with depression who applied to the psychiatric outpatient clinics of a state hospital. The sample included a total of 60 patients, comprising 30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group, all of whom met the inclusion criteria.Data were collected using the "Descriptive Information Form," the "Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)," the "Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES)," and the "Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)." The guided imagery-supported psychoeducation program implemented with the experimental group consisted of 14 individual sessions in total, including 8 face-to-face sessions and 6 sessions through audio recordings. Concurrently with the face-to-face sessions, beginning in the second week, participants in the intervention group listened to the researcher-generated audio recordings twice weekly over a period of three consecutive weeks. No intervention beyond routine treatment was applied to the control group. Following the psychoeducation intervention, the mean scores of the experimental group on the PSS and BDI were found to be significantly lower compared to the control group (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of RSES scores (p>0.05). The findings suggest that the guided imagery-supported psychoeducation program is effective in reducing perceived stress and depressive symptoms in individuals diagnosed with depression, but has no significant effect on self-esteem. It is recommended that psychiatric nurses incorporate guided imagery-supported psychoeducation into the treatment processes of individuals diagnosed with depression.