Clinical Research Directory

AI-Guided Personalized Relaxation for Hemodialysis Patients

Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis frequently experience impaired health-related quality of life, anxiety, and difficulties in coping with the long-term demands of treatment. Artificial intelligence (AI)-guided interventions may provide personalized psychological support and promote adaptive coping through tailored relaxation strategies. This randomized controlled mixed-methods trial evaluates the effectiveness of an AI-guided personalized relaxation intervention delivered through a smartphone application among adults receiving maintenance hemodialysis. Participants are randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving AI-guided personalized relaxation in addition to routine hemodialysis care or a control group receiving routine care alone. The 6-week intervention includes individualized breathing exercises, mindfulness practices, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, and adaptive feedback generated according to participant characteristics, emotional responses, and engagement patterns. The primary outcome is health-related quality of life measured using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 (KDQOL-36™). Secondary outcomes include anxiety symptoms measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), coping strategies measured by the Brief COPE Inventory, and user acceptance of the AI-guided intervention. Qualitative interviews are conducted with intervention participants to explore their experiences, perceived benefits, feasibility, and acceptability of the intervention. The study aims to determine whether AI-guided personalized relaxation can improve quality of life, reduce anxiety, and enhance coping among patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis while providing insight into the acceptability and feasibility of integrating AI-supported psychosocial interventions into routine dialysis care.

Effects of Progressive Muscle Relaxation on Stress and Bowling Skills in Medium Fast Bowlers

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a 4-week Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) protocol can manage psychological stress and improve performance in male cricket medium-fast bowlers aged 16-30 years. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does a 4-week PMR protocol significantly reduce perceived stress scores compared to standard training? 2. Does a 4-week PMR protocol significantly improve ball release speed and bowling accuracy? Researchers will compare an experimental group receiving a structured PMR protocol prior to warm-ups to a control group following standard traditional training (generalized warm-ups, stretching, and shadow bowling) to see if the relaxation intervention leads to lower perceived stress, higher bowling speed, and improved bowling accuracy. Participants will: 1. Complete the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) at baseline and after the 4-week period. 2. Deliver six balls at a designated target pitch and stump zone while being timed by a hand-held radar gun to measure baseline and post-intervention speed and accuracy. 3. Depending on group assignment, either attend 2 sessions per week of a structured, contract-relax progressive muscle relaxation protocol or attend 2 sessions per week of traditional warm-up and stretching drills.

Feasibility of Breathwork Intervention With Older Adults After Knee Surgery

Postoperative complications after surgical procedures, including following total knee arthroplasty (TKA), have a negative impact on the health and well-being of surgical patients. Older adults (≥65 years) are particularly vulnerable to postoperative complications and their associated morbidities due to the biological aging process. Older adults comprise nearly half of surgical patients worldwide, and this number is expected to increase in the next 10-20 years as the aging population continues to grow. TKA is the most common procedure undergone by older adults, and the rate of TKA procedures is also expected to rise. Despite perioperative guidelines and protocols to prevent postoperative complications, the prevalence of postoperative complications following TKA is approximately 12%. Given these statistics, millions of older adults undergoing TKA may be at risk for postoperative complications and their associated morbidities in the coming decades. Therefore, additional interventions are needed to combat postoperative complications in this population. The body's natural response to surgery, also known as the surgical stress response (SSR), contributes to postoperative complications through complex mechanisms involving the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, or the body's fight-or-flight response, causes dysregulation in feedback systems that regulate the stress response, potentially leading to poorer outcomes. Interventions, such as breathwork, that induce the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), or the body's rest-and-digest response, have been shown to balance the ANS, regulate stress biology, and improve outcomes. This study will examine the feasibility of adding a breathwork intervention (Box Breathing), compared to an attention control, to standard perioperative care for older adults undergoing TKA. This study will also examine the proof of concept that Box Breathing, compared to an attention control, may help regulate the SSR by assessing an objective measure of stress-related biology, diurnal cortisol rhythm, and gathering self-report information on pain, anxiety, depression, and quality of recovery following TKA.

Virtual Reality to Reduce Stress Among Nursing Students Before Final Exams

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a brief virtual reality (VR) relaxation session can reduce pre-exam stress levels among undergraduate nursing students enrolled in nursing courses. The participant population includes male and female nursing students, aged 20-26 years, who are preparing to take their final practical exam. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does a 10-minute, self-selected VR relaxation session significantly reduce stress levels immediately before a high-stakes clinical exam? 2. Are certain types of virtual environments (e.g., beach, island, space, ocean) more effective than others in promoting relaxation? Researchers will compare pre- and post-intervention stress scores to see if the VR experience results in a statistically significant reduction in perceived stress. Participants will: * Complete a brief pre-intervention stress survey (e.g., using a validated scale such as the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). * Explore several calming VR environments (e.g., tropical beaches, islands, deep ocean, space, savanna, and tourist destinations). * Choose one preferred scene based on personal relaxation preference. * Engage in a 10-minute immersive VR relaxation session. * Complete a post-intervention stress survey to assess any changes.

The Effect of Virtual Reality-Based Video and Benson Relaxation Exercise Applied to Palliative Care Providers on Sleep Quality, Fitness and General Well-Being

The research will be conducted to evaluate the effects of Virtual Reality-Based Video and Benson Relaxation Exercise Applied to Palliative Care Providers on Sleep Quality, Fitness and General Well-Being. In the Palliative Care Center; The palliative patient group will be comprised of individuals aged 18 and over who provide care. The population of the research consists of 210 people. Individuals will be distributed to the virtual reality video experimental group (30), Benson relaxation exercise experimental group (30) and control (30) groups by simple randomization method. Personal Information Form, Sleep Quality Index, Subjective Wellness Scale and General Well-Being Scale will be used to collect research data. Personal information form, Sleep Quality Index, Subjective Well-Being Scale and General Well-Being Scale will be administered to the caregivers in both the experimental group and the control group by the researcher using face-to-face interview technique (pre-test). The caregivers, the first group in the experimental group, will be shown a total of 8 sessions of virtual reality-based videos (nature, forest walks and city tours, etc.) for an average of 30 minutes, twice a week for 4 weeks. The caregivers, who are the second group in the experimental group, will have a total of 8 sessions of Benson relaxation exercises for 20-25 minutes, twice a week for 4 weeks. No intervention will be made to the caregivers in the control group. At the end of the sessions, Sleep Quality Index, Subjective Well-Being Scale and General Well-Being Scale (post-test) will be applied to the experimental and control groups. The basic question it aims to answer is: Do virtual reality-based video and BENSON relaxation exercises applied to palliative care givers affect sleep quality, vitality and general well-being?