This study will be conducted to determine the effect of stress ball application on anxiety and fetal heart rate in risk pregnant women before cesarean section. Women with risk pregnancies randomly assigned to intervention (n=44) and control (n=44) groups in a faculty hospital in Turkey will be included in the study. Pregnant women in the intervention group will be instructed how to use the stress ball in the obstetrics ward before cesarean section. During the practice, pregnant women will be asked to demonstrate the movements of tightening and loosening the stress ball to ensure correct use. It will be emphasized to the pregnant women that they should squeeze the ball once after counting to three, inhale when they squeeze the ball, exhale when they loosen their grip and focus only on the ball. Pregnant women in the control group will not receive any intervention other than routine general care. Data will be collected face-to-face by the researcher based on the self-reports of the pregnant women before cesarean section.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
88
The stress ball is a simple and effective tool for reducing anxiety and relaxation as a non-pharmacological method (Yanes et al., 2018). Due to the limited pharmacological options available for pregnant women to reduce anxiety during cesarean section, alternative, complementary or supportive non-pharmacological methods and low-risk approaches are needed (Baltacı \& Başer, 2020). It is thought that squeezing the stress ball may be advantageous in reducing anxiety.
Ondokuz Mayıs University
Samsun, Atakum, Turkey (Türkiye)
State-Trait anxiety score for anxiety
The anxiety scale developed by Spielberger et al. in 1970 was designed to measure state and trait anxiety levels of individuals. The Turkish version of this scale was evaluated by Öner and Le Compte in 1983 and its reliability and validity were determined. The scale examines anxiety in two different dimensions: State Anxiety measures the feelings of an individual under a certain moment and condition, while Trait Anxiety refers to the general anxiety level of the individual. Each statement in the scale is a 4-point Likert scale (1-none, 2-somewhat, 3-a lot, 4-completely). Two types of expressions are used in the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Scale. Direct expressions indicate negative emotions and inverted expressions indicate positive emotions. Items 1,2,5,8,10,11,15,16,19 and 20 in the Spielberg State Anxiety Scale (SSAS) and items 26,27,30,33,36 and 39 in the Spielberg Trait Anxiety Scale (SSAS) are inverted statements. During the evaluation, after the total weights of the direct
Time frame: Anxiety levels will be assessed 5 minutes before intervention and 5 minutes after the end of the intervention.
Fetal heart rate
Fetal heart rate will be measured by fetal hand-held Doppler before and after the intervention.
Time frame: Fetal heart rate levels will be assessed 5 minutes before intervention and 5 minutes after the end of the intervention.
Pulse rate (beats/minute)
Pulse rate (beats/minute) of pregnant women will be recorded before and after the intervention.
Time frame: Pulse rate of pregnant women will be assessed 5 minutes before intervention and 5 minutes after the end of the intervention.
respiration rate (times/minute)
Respiration rate (times/minute) of pregnant women will be recorded before and after the intervention.
Time frame: Respiration rate of pregnant women will be assessed 5 minutes before intervention and 5 minutes after the end of the intervention.
systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) of pregnant women will be recorded before and after the intervention
Time frame: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure of pregnant women will be assessed 5 minutes before intervention and 5 minutes after the end of the intervention.
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