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

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.

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).