The Effects of Documentary and Psychiatric Interviewing Methods on Empathy,Attitude,and Implicit Association in Psychiatric Nursing Education: A Randomized Controlled Study

Abstract

Background:

Negative attitudes toward mental illness hinder both social integration and the effectiveness of health care services. Nursing students should overcome these biases, cultivate empathy, and adopt a patient-centered approach through clinical experience and structured education. This study explores how psychiatric nursing students’ implicit associations, discriminatory attitudes, and empathy skills are influenced by exposure to documentaries and psychiatric interviews.

Method:

A single-center, single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted in the nursing department of a university located in Sakarya, Türkiye. The study involved 44 third-year nursing students (experimental group = 22; control group = 22). The Implicit Association Test and the Attitudes Toward Mental Patients Scale were used to assess students’ implicit biases and attitudes, while the Jefferson Scale of Empathy measured their level of empathy.

Results:

Although the implicit association categories changed significantly within both groups, there was no significant difference in change between the groups. Significant effects were found for group (F = 7.37, P = .01, ηp² = 0.15), time (F = 26.46, P < .001, ηp² = 0.39), and the group × time interaction (F = 7.08, P = .01, ηp² = 0.14) on attitude scores. However, no significant effects were observed in empathy scores with respect to group, time, or the group × time interaction.

Conclusion:

Documentaries containing patient narratives and psychiatric interviews improved attitudes toward individuals with mental illness and positively influenced implicit associations; however, they did not lead to a significant change in empathy levels.

Trial Registration:

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06808893.