This study assessed the impact of a six-week Reflective Mindfulness and Emotional Regulation Training (RMERT) program on fourth-year nursing students. Using a randomized controlled trial with 40 participants, the intervention group (n=20) received RMERT, while the control group (n=20) continued standard coursework.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of Reflective Mindfulness and Emotional Regulation Training (RMERT) in enhancing nursing students' self-awareness, emotional understanding, and regulation. Nursing students frequently face significant academic and psychological challenges, particularly in mental health nursing courses, which can lead to stress, anxiety, and compromised well-being. RMERT was designed as a psychoeducational intervention integrating mindfulness and emotional regulation techniques to help students develop critical skills for managing these challenges.

Study Design The randomized controlled trial employed a mixed-methods approach and involved 40 fourth-year undergraduate nursing students at Benha University. Participants were randomly allocated into an intervention group (n=20) and a control group (n=20). The intervention group attended a six-week RMERT program, while the control group continued their standard academic activities without additional interventions. Both groups underwent pre- and post-intervention assessments using validated instruments: the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Qualitative data, collected exclusively from the intervention group, were analysed thematically.

Intervention The RMERT program consisted of six weekly 90-minute sessions facilitated by researchers trained in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and transactional analysis (TA). The training employed the ABC model of CBT (activating events, beliefs, and consequences) to address maladaptive cognitive patterns, along with TA techniques such as empathic inquiry and reflection. Relaxation strategies, including diaphragmatic breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, were also integrated. The sessions focused on enabling students to reflect on their mental and emotional states, process their feelings, and apply cognitive reappraisal-a healthy emotional regulation strategy-instead of relying on expressive suppression, which is maladaptive.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Students enroled in the psychiatric/mental health nursing course for the first time, i.e., did not enrol in or join similar or the same course before.
• for example, joined the faculty from the secondary school, not through other paths or bridging educational programs that would include psychiatric/mental health courses/modules as part of their programs
• did not fail the course before or attended it for more time.

Exclusion Criteria:

no

The study authors indicated that individual participant data (IPD), including the following, will be shared upon reasonable request:

De-identified Data:

Pre- and post-intervention scores from the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS).

Demographic and baseline data (e.g., age, gender, residence, GPA, marital status, and employment status) in de-identified format.

Qualitative Data:

De-identified transcriptions of intervention group sessions used for thematic analysis.

Study Protocol and Analysis Plans:

The detailed intervention framework, including the six-session RMERT program outline.

Quantitative and qualitative data analysis plans.

Consent Documentation:

Sample forms used to obtain participant consent (in anonymized form).

Ethical Approvals:

Approval details are provided by the Research Ethics Committee. This data will be made available upon request to the corresponding author, provided the request aligns with ethical considerations.

2 weeks

all authors of the study

Forty students met the eligibility requirements and were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to control and intervention groups of twenty each. The intervention set was then split into ten subgroups to form counseling groups. The intervention and control groups completed the pre-test and post-tests one week before the sessions began and one week after they ended. Students' identifiers were removed to ensure confidentiality. In two subgroups of 10, each intervention group attended intervention sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention sessions. During the intervention sessions, both groups attended the theoretical and clinical parts of the psychiatric mental health nursing course with their colleagues. As part of their training, they facilitated nursing services for actual patients in clinical settings.