The Benefits of Hypnosis Support in Stress Management for First-Year Students at the Higher Institute of Nursing and Health Techniques, Rabat

Abstract

The transition from secondary to higher education presents numerous academic, social, and psychological challenges that can negatively impact students’ well-being, particularly during the first year. This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of hypnosis as a non-pharmacological intervention for managing perceived stress among first-year nursing students at the Higher Institute of Nursing and Health Techniques (ISPITS) in Rabat, Morocco. A total of 166 students from five academic tracks were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups with comparable baseline characteristics. Their perceived stress levels were assessed using two validated instruments, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14), administered before and after a five-session hypnosis program conducted over 10 weeks. The results showed a marked and statistically significant reduction in stress among the intervention group, with the mean VAS scores decreasing from 7.82 ± 2.05 to 3.00 ± 1.71 compared to a smaller reduction in the control group (from 7.65 ± 1.78 to 5.80 ± 1.72; between-group difference = 2.8, p < 0.0001). Similarly, the PSS-14 scores in the intervention group declined significantly from 26.42 ± 7.54 (moderate stress) to 24.32 ± 8.20 (still moderate), with a mean difference of 2.09 ± 7.70 (t = 2.21, p = 0.0307, 95% CI [0.20; 3.98]). These findings indicate that hypnosis is an effective mind–body approach for alleviating perceived stress, improving emotional regulation, and could be incorporated into academic support programs to enhance student well-being.