Effectiveness of Music Therapy and Emotional Freedom Technique on Test Anxiety in Turkish Nursing Students: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Introduction: Test anxiety, one of the forms of situational anxiety, is a crucial biopsychological factor negatively affecting the wellbeing and academic performance of students throughout their education. The study aimed to determine the effects of music therapy and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) on situational anxiety and vital signs in nursing students before they took an OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Exam).

Methods: This study was conducted with 90 volunteer students. A computer-based random number generator was used to randomly assign the students into three groups (Music, EFT, and control); each group consisted of 30 students. Data were collected using a Student Identification Form, the Situational Anxiety Scale, and the Vital Signs Form.

Results: Before the interventions, the mean anxiety scores of the students were similar. After the interventions, however, the mean anxiety scores of those in both experimental groups were significantly lower (p < .05). The difference between the mean vital signs of the groups was not statistically significant, except the pulse rate in the EFT and peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO2) in the music group.

Conclusions: According to the results of the study, both music therapy and EFT led to a decrease in the nursing students’ average scores before the OSCE, as measured by the Situational Anxiety Scale.