Efficacy of a Gamified Blended Mindfulness Program to Reduce Burnout, Stress, and Anxiety in Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Universidad de Granada127 enrolled

Overview

The primary purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy of a 12-week gamified blended mindfulness intervention in reducing academic burnout, perceived stress, and anxiety among first-year nursing students. Nursing students frequently face high academic and clinical demands that deplete their psychological resources, leading to high levels of stress and emotional exhaustion during their training. While mindfulness interventions can mitigate these negative effects, adherence to standard digital programs often remains a challenge. To address this, the study investigates the impact of incorporating gamification elements into a mindfulness program. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups: a minimal-treatment control group, a standard blended mindfulness group, or a gamified blended mindfulness group. The intervention spans 12 weeks and consists of 24 guided meditation sessions (16 online and 8 in-person). The central hypothesis is that the gamified architecture will act as a behavioral reinforcement mechanism, improving student adherence to the program. Consequently, researchers hypothesize that participants in the gamified group will exhibit significantly lower post-intervention levels of emotional exhaustion, perceived stress, and anxiety compared to those in both the standard mindfulness intervention and the control group.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

127

Conditions

Burnout Syndrome

Interventions

Psychoeducation and Free App RecommendationBEHAVIORAL

Participants receive baseline information regarding the definition and health effects of meditation, alongside advice on how to independently practice it using free sessions available on a mobile application.

Standard Blended Mindfulness ProgramBEHAVIORAL

A 12-week program consisting of 24 guided meditation sessions (16 online and 8 in-person). Sessions are led by a mindfulness expert, last between 15 and 30 minutes, and focus on breathing techniques and guided meditation practices.

Gamified Blended Mindfulness ProgramBEHAVIORAL

A 12-week, 24-session blended mindfulness program (15-30 minutes per session) integrated with gamification elements. Participants earn one point per completed session to enter a draw for a premium nursing training app subscription. The system also provides weekly automated score updates and a final anonymized leaderboard.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Enrolled as a first-year undergraduate nursing student at the Ceuta Campus of the University of Granada (Spain). * Aged 18 years or older. * Voluntarily provide informed consent prior to participation. Exclusion Criteria: * Pre-existing clinical diagnosis of anxiety or depressive disorders. * Current use of prescribed psychotropic medications (concurrent psychopharmacological treatment).

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Academic Burnout: Emotional Exhaustion

Assessed using the Emotional Exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS). This subscale consists of 5 items rated on a 7-point frequency scale ranging from 0 (never) to 6 (daily). Higher scores indicate higher levels of emotional exhaustion.