Positive Psychology Based Psychoeducation for Psychological Flexibility and Perceived Stress in University Students

The Effect of a Multi-Component Positive Psychology-Based Psychoeducation Program on Psychological Flexibility and Perceived Stress in University Students: A Controlled Pretest-Posttest Study

This study will test whether an 8-week multi-component positive psychology-based psychoeducation program can reduce perceived stress and improve psychological flexibility among first-year undergraduate nursing students. Eligible students who provide informed consent will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a waitlist control group. The intervention group will attend weekly 60-75 minute psychoeducation sessions including brief psychoeducation, experiential exercises, shared reflection, and home practice assignments. The waitlist control group will continue their usual routine during the study period and will not receive any intervention before post-test assessment. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and immediately after the 8-week program using the Perceived Stress Scale-14 and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II.

This study is designed as a two-arm, parallel-group, waitlist-controlled randomized trial with a pretest-posttest design. The study will be conducted among first-year undergraduate nursing students at Harran University.

After eligibility screening and informed consent, participants will complete baseline assessments and will then be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention group or the waitlist control group. Randomization will be performed by an independent person who is not involved in the study design, intervention delivery, or data analysis. Allocation will be concealed until eligibility and baseline assessment procedures are completed.

The intervention group will receive an 8-week multi-component positive psychology-based psychoeducation program. Sessions will be conducted once weekly and will last approximately 60-75 minutes. The program includes positive psychology components such as gratitude, savoring, signature strengths, hope and goal-setting, meaning and values-based action, self-compassion, and maintenance of personal wellbeing practices. Each session will include brief psychoeducation, an experiential exercise, group reflection, and a home practice assignment.

The waitlist control group will continue their usual routine during the 8-week study period and will not receive the intervention before post-test assessment. After post-test data collection is completed, the waitlist control group will be offered the psychoeducation program content as a booklet.

Assessments will be conducted at baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention. The main analysis will evaluate between-group differences in post-intervention outcomes while controlling for baseline scores.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Being a first-year undergraduate student in the Department of Nursing at Harran University.
2. Volunteering to participate in the study and providing informed consent.
3. Having no reading, comprehension, or communication difficulty that would prevent completion of the data collection tools.
4. Being 18 years of age or older.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Receiving regular psychotherapy or psychoeducation during the same academic period.
2. Having participated in a structured positive psychology-based psychoeducation or intervention program within the last 6 months.
3. Having a history of psychiatric hospitalization within the last 3 months or having an acute psychiatric crisis or instability that would make participation in the sessions inappropriate.