Mindfulness-based emotion regulation training to help hospitalized children aged 7–11 manage fear
The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Emotion Regulation Training on Fear and Emotion Regulation in Hospitalized Children
This project will try a short mindfulness program to help hospitalized 7–11-year-old children manage their emotions and lower fear related to medical care.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 54 (estimated) |
| Ages | 7 Years to 11 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Ataturk University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Erzurum) |
| Trial ID | NCT07379021 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial will enroll hospitalized children aged 7–11 and randomly assign them to a mindfulness-based emotion regulation training or to routine nursing care. The intervention will be delivered during an expected hospital stay of at least four days, with measurements taken at admission and at follow-up using the Child and Parent Introduction Form, the Emotion Regulation Scale for Children and Adolescents, and the Medical Procedure Fear Scale. The program aims to teach sustainable emotion-regulation strategies rather than relying on brief distraction during procedures, targeting reduced fear and improved adaptive regulation. The trial is scheduled from April 2026 to April 2027 at Atatürk University Nursing Faculty in Erzurum, Turkey.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Children aged 7–11 who can read, write, speak and understand Turkish, have a planned hospital stay of at least four days, can communicate normally, and whose parent and child agree to participate.
Not a fit: Children with severe pain or acute respiratory distress, known psychiatric diagnoses, hearing/speech problems that prevent communication, or prior similar mindfulness training are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the training could reduce children's hospital-related fear and strengthen long-term emotion-regulation skills, making medical care less distressing and improving treatment cooperation.
How similar studies have performed: Related mindfulness and emotion-regulation programs have shown benefits for pediatric anxiety in outpatient settings, but applying them specifically to hospitalized children's procedural fear is less well studied.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Be aged between 7 and 11 years old, * Have a planned hospital stay of at least four days, * Be able to speak and understand Turkish, * Be able to read and write (to complete questionnaires), * The child and parent must be willing to participate in the study. Exclusion Criteria: * The child has a hearing/speech problem that prevents them from communicating, * The child has severe pain or acute respiratory distress that prevents them from participating, * The child has a known psychiatric diagnosis, * The child has previously received similar mindfulness training
Where this trial is running
Erzurum
- Ataturk University Nursing of Faculty — Erzurum, Turkey (Türkiye) (Recruiting)
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.