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IRCT20260512069378N1 IRCT 2026-05-13 Islamic Azad University Evaluating the effectiveness of two interventions: mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy and emotion-focused therapy on test anxiety and related outcomes in students Comparing the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy and emotion-focused therapy on test anxiety, self-efficacy, academic procrastination, and academic self-handicapping in ninth-grade male students with test anxiety 2026-06-05 anticipated 60 Recruiting https://irct.ir/trial/90078 interventional Randomization: Randomized, Blinding: Not blinded, Placebo: Not used, Assignment: Parallel, Purpose: Treatment, Randomization description: The study population of the present research consists of all ninth-grade male students with test anxiety who are studying in the 2025-2026 academic year. In this type of efficacy studies, a two-stage approach is usually used: in the sample selection stage, the convenience sampling method is used. After selecting the samples with a size of 60 based on the study’s inclusion and exclusion criteria, the participants will be randomly assigned to three groups: “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction” (intervention group 1), “Emotion-Focused Therapy” (intervention group 2), and “waitlist” (control group). Randomization will be performed using block randomization with variable block sizes (4 and 6 participants) by an independent statistician who is not involved in the implementation process. The random allocation list will be generated using the RAND function in Excel software and then placed in opaque, sealed, and numbered envelopes so that the researcher and participants are unaware of the allocation sequence (allocation concealment). Opening the envelope and informing each participant of the assigned group will be done only at the time of entering the study. To ensure equality of baseline variables (such as anxiety level and age), their distribution in the two groups will be examined at the statistical analysis stage. N/A Anxiety. Intervention 1: Intervention group: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction therapy; duration of each session: 90 minutes; total number of sessions: 8 sessions; session sequence: twice a week; therapeutic tools used: this intervention relies on training in mindfulness, acceptance, nonjudgmental observation of internal experiences, and formal and informal mindfulness practices. The main therapeutic tools include: body awareness practice; body scan practice; mindful breathing practice; seated meditation practice; mindful stretching and movement exercises; mindfulness exercises in daily activities; training in accepting thoughts and emotions without engagement and judgment. The content of the various sessions is based on this: session one: getting acquainted with group members, introducing the treatment program, explaining the concept of mindfulness, stress and its relationship with test anxiety, and conducting the pre-test; session two: training attention to breathing and body awareness practice, bodily awareness and beginning the body scan practice; session three: continuation of the body scan practice, focusing on observing thoughts and feelings without judgment and training attention to return to the present moment; session four: training seated meditation, focusing on sounds, breathing and thoughts, and practicing acceptance of mental experiences; session five: training mindful movements and stretches, increasing bodily awareness in movement and practicing mindfulness in daily activities; session six: working with unpleasant thoughts and emotions, training to observe thoughts as mental events and reducing cognitive engagement; session seven: review and practice of learned skills, generalizing mindfulness to stressful situations, especially exam situations; session eight: summarizing the sessions, reviewing the exercises, providing final recommendations, conducting the post-test and determining the time for the follow-up test. Intervention 2: Intervention group: Emotion-Focused Therapy; duration of each session: 90 minutes; total number of sessions: 8 sessions; session sequence: twice a week; therapeutic tools used: This intervention is based on identifying, experiencing, and regulating emotions, reducing emotional avoidance, and improving the processing of maladaptive emotions. The main therapeutic tools include teaching emotional awareness, expressing emotions, emotion processing, emotion regulation, and adaptive coping strategies. The content of the various sessions is based on this: session one: getting acquainted with group members, introducing the treatment program, providing an overall explanation of emotion-focused therapy, and conducting the pre-test; session two: identifying and labeling emotions and examining emotions related to test anxiety; session three: teaching experiencing and accepting the core emotions and reducing emotional avoidance; session four: working on thoughts and emotional meanings and practicing adaptive emotional expression; session five: teaching emotion regulation strategies and relaxation techniques; session six: identifying maladaptive patterns and practicing new emotional responses; session seven: reviewing skills and generalizing them to stressful situations, especially exam situations; session eight: summarizing the sessions, reviewing the exercises, conducting the post-test, and determining the time for follow-up. Intervention 3: Control group: The control group will not receive any intervention during the research, but will receive interventions after data collection to prevent factors that threaten the internal validity of the research, such as compensatory competition in the control group or demoralization. Undecided - It is not yet known if there will be a plan to make this available Justification or reason for indecision in sharing IPD is Due to the lack of completion of the research work and the failure to write the article, which is a requirement for publishing the data, I will publish the data as soon as the aforementioned issues are resolved.
public Heydar Saedi
Next to Imam Ali Mosque, 2nd West Street, Enghelab Eslami Neighborhood
Hamidieh Iran (Islamic Republic of) 6344147515 +98 61 3672 2192 haydar.saedi@yahoo.com Islamic Azad University scientific Heydar Saedi
Next to Imam Ali Mosque, 2nd West Street, Enghelab Eslami Neighborhood
Hamidieh Iran (Islamic Republic of) 6344147515 +98 61 3672 2192 haydar.saedi@yahoo.com Islamic Azad University Iran (Islamic Republic of) Ninth grade male students Scored one standard deviation above the average in test anxiety 14 years 15 years Male Unwillingness to participate in research Participation in other psychotherapy sessions F40 Phobic anxiety disorders Treatment - Other Treatment - Other Treatment - Other Intervention group: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction therapy; duration of each session: 90 minutes; total number of sessions: 8 sessions; session sequence: twice a week; therapeutic tools used: this intervention relies on training in mindfulness, acceptance, nonjudgmental observation of internal experiences, and formal and informal mindfulness practices. The main therapeutic tools include: body awareness practice; body scan practice; mindful breathing practice; seated meditation practice; mindful stretching and movement exercises; mindfulness exercises in daily activities; training in accepting thoughts and emotions without engagement and judgment. The content of the various sessions is based on this: session one: getting acquainted with group members, introducing the treatment program, explaining the concept of mindfulness, stress and its relationship with test anxiety, and conducting the pre-test; session two: training attention to breathing and body awareness practice, bodily awareness and beginning the body scan practice; session three: continuation of the body scan practice, focusing on observing thoughts and feelings without judgment and training attention to return to the present moment; session four: training seated meditation, focusing on sounds, breathing and thoughts, and practicing acceptance of mental experiences; session five: training mindful movements and stretches, increasing bodily awareness in movement and practicing mindfulness in daily activities; session six: working with unpleasant thoughts and emotions, training to observe thoughts as mental events and reducing cognitive engagement; session seven: review and practice of learned skills, generalizing mindfulness to stressful situations, especially exam situations; session eight: summarizing the sessions, reviewing the exercises, providing final recommendations, conducting the post-test and determining the time for the follow-up test. Intervention group: Emotion-Focused Therapy; duration of each session: 90 minutes; total number of sessions: 8 sessions; session sequence: twice a week; therapeutic tools used: This intervention is based on identifying, experiencing, and regulating emotions, reducing emotional avoidance, and improving the processing of maladaptive emotions. The main therapeutic tools include teaching emotional awareness, expressing emotions, emotion processing, emotion regulation, and adaptive coping strategies. The content of the various sessions is based on this: session one: getting acquainted with group members, introducing the treatment program, providing an overall explanation of emotion-focused therapy, and conducting the pre-test; session two: identifying and labeling emotions and examining emotions related to test anxiety; session three: teaching experiencing and accepting the core emotions and reducing emotional avoidance; session four: working on thoughts and emotional meanings and practicing adaptive emotional expression; session five: teaching emotion regulation strategies and relaxation techniques; session six: identifying maladaptive patterns and practicing new emotional responses; session seven: reviewing skills and generalizing them to stressful situations, especially exam situations; session eight: summarizing the sessions, reviewing the exercises, conducting the post-test, and determining the time for follow-up. Control group: The control group will not receive any intervention during the research, but will receive interventions after data collection to prevent factors that threaten the internal validity of the research, such as compensatory competition in the control group or demoralization. Test Anxiety. Timepoint: 1. Pre-test (before the start of the intervention) 2. Post-test (immediately after the end of the intervention period) 3. One-month follow-up after the intervention. Method of measurement: The variable will be measured using the Ahvaz Exam Anxiety Inventory by Abolghasemi et al. (1996). Self-Efficacy. Timepoint: 1. Pre-test (before the start of the intervention) 2. Post-test (immediately after the end of the intervention period) 3. One-month follow-up after the intervention. Method of measurement: The variable will be measured using the Morris et al. (2001) self-efficacy questionnaire. Academic Procrastination. Timepoint: 1. Pre-test (before the start of the intervention) 2. Post-test (immediately after the end of the intervention period) 3. One-month follow-up after the intervention. Method of measurement: The variable will be measured using the Savari Academic Procrastination Questionnaire (2011). Academic Self-Handicapping. Timepoint: 1. Pre-test (before the start of the intervention) 2. Post-test (immediately after the end of the intervention period) 3. One-month follow-up after the intervention. Method of measurement: The variable will be measured using the Schwinger and Steinsmeier-Plaster (2011) Academic Self-Disability Scale. Islamic Azad University Approved 2026-04-15 Ethics Committee of Islamic Azad University of Ahvaz Branch Opposite Keshavarz Street, Farhang Shahr, Golestan Highway Ahvaz Khouzestan Iran (Islamic Republic of)