The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy program (MBCT) applied to nursing students on depression, anxiety, stress and cognitive flexibility: A randomized controlled study

This is a randomized controlled study which was carried out to determine the effect of online mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on the depression, anxiety, stress and cognitive flexibility level of the nursing students. The study was conducted in the Faculty of Health Sciences affiliated with Duzce University between December 2021-June 2022. The sample of the study consisted of 87 students (study group=43, control group=44) who met the study inclusion criteria and who approved to participate in the study at the end of power analysis. Data of the study were collected as pre test, post test and follow-up test by using Personal Information Form, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 42 and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory. The analysis of data was performed on SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) for Windows 25.0 package program. At the end of the analyses of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 42, it was determined that post test and follow up test scores of the study group were lower than the participants in the control group in the depression subscale; post test and follow up test scores of the control group were higher than the study group in the anxiety subscale and these scores were found to be higher in the control group compared to the study group in the stress subscale; and they were found to be significantly different (p<0,05). In the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, total, post test and follow up test scores of the participants in the study group were found to be higher than the participants in the control group. Statistically significant differences were found between pre test, post test and follow up test scores of the participants in the study group in the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (p<0,05). In line with these results, it is suggested to use mindfulness-based practices by considering that they contribute to the decrease in the depression, anxiety and stress levels of the nursing students and the improvement in their cognitive flexibility in a positive manner.