The effect of meditation on exam anxiety of nursing students: a randomized clinical trial.

A double-blind clinical trial with 100 nursing students found that Twin Heart Meditation reduced exam anxiety. Participants meditated for 30 minutes three times per week over one week. Before the intervention, anxiety scores were similar between groups. After the intervention, the meditation group's mean anxiety score dropped from 56.52 to 50.22, while the control group's score remained unchanged at about 58.4. The difference between groups after the intervention was statistically significant. Meditation is an effective, non-invasive approach to alleviate exam anxiety in nursing students.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Nursing students frequently encounter significant levels of test anxiety, which can impact their academic success and overall well-being. Twin Heart Meditation is a technique for relaxation that might assist in alleviating anxiety. This research aim to assess the influence of Twin Heart Meditation on exam anxiety in nursing students. This double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 100 nursing students. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups: a control group (n = 50) and an experimental group (n = 50). In the experimental group, participants engaged in meditation for 30 minutes, three times per week, over a one-week period. Both groups underwent assessments of exam anxiety before and after the intervention, utilizing the Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, employing paired and independent t-tests, with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant. There was no significant difference in exam anxiety scores between the two groups before to the intervention (P = 0.473). Following the intervention, the mean exam anxiety score in the experimental group significantly decreased from 56.52± 13.91 to 50.22± 11.54 (P < 0.001), whereas the control group showed no statistically significant change, with scores from 58.48± 13.27 to 58.42± 13.21 (P = 0.371).. Moreover, an independent t-test revealed a statistically significant difference in post-intervention exam anxiety scores between the two groups (P ≤ 0.001). Meditation can be regarded as an effective, non-invasive approach to alleviate exam anxiety in nursing students, which may lead to improvements in their academic success and general mental health.