The aim of action research this study is to examine the effect of psychoeducation based on Neuman's Systems Model on psychological distress and coping with the stress of spouses of patients in the intensive care unit. The questions of this research are listed below.

What can be done to reduce the psychological distress of spouses of patients in the intensive care unit? What can be done to increase the active coping with the stress of spouses of patients in the intensive care unit? How to structure a stress management psychoeducational program based on Neuman's Systems Theory for spouses of patients in the intensive care unit? Does a stress management psychoeducation program based on Neuman's Systems Theory reduce the psychological distress of spouses of patients in the intensive care unit? Does a stress management psychoeducational program based on Neuman's Systems Theory increase active coping with the stress of spouses of patients in intensive care?

This study is mixed methods research that combines both exploratory mixed and nested action research phases of a multi-phase mixed design. In the first phase; It is planned to develop a stress management psychoeducation program based on Neuman's Systems Model based on the literature. In the second phase; It is planned to conduct technical action research based on the radical structuralist paradigm, one of the types of action research.

The study will be conducted with spouses of patients hospitalized in the Adult Intensive Care Unit of a State Hospital between January and March 2024.

It was planned to use the criterion sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods, in determining the sample of the research. The psychoeducation program will be implemented in six sessions with individual interviews lasting approximately 45-60 minutes, three times a week for the spouses of patients in intensive care. The first session includes the meeting and introduction of the psychoeducation program. The second session includes the adaptation process to the intensive care unit. The third, fourth and fifth sessions include methods of coping with stress. The sixth session includes evaluation and termination of the psychoeducational program.

Quantitative data of the research will be collected with the pre-action and post-action Psychological Distress Scale and the Stress Coping Styles Scale. Qualitative data of the research will be collected through semi-structured individual in-depth interviews conducted after the action. Quantitative data will be analyzed with the SPSS 25.0 package program. Continuous variables will be given as mean ± standard deviation and categorical variables will be given as number and percentage. Since non-parametric test assumptions are met in comparing the differences between psychological distress and styles of coping with stress (n<30), it will be analyzed with the Wilcoxon test. P <0.05 will be considered statistically significant. Analysis of qualitative data will be done with content analysis in Nvivo 11 qualitative data analysis program.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being the spouse of an individual with a critical illness and intubated who had an unplanned admission to the ICU for 48-72 hours or longer

• Being over 18 years of age

• Speaking Turkish

  --Not having hearing, visual, physical, or mental disabilities

• Agreeing to participate in the research verbally and in writing

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having a psychiatric illness or cognitive disorder,
• Having sensory loss related to vision, hearing, and speech,
• Being involved in another research that uses a similar method or that may affect the results of the study,
• Being included in any psychosocial support program.