The Effect of a Self-Management Program in University Students

NCT07455123 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: E-68552689-000-00003545299
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 51
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will be conducted as a randomized controlled pre-post test trial designed in accordance with the CONSORT guidelines. University students with chronic fatigue will be invited to participate; eligible participants will be assigned to the intervention and control groups using a block randomization method. Based on the power analysis, a minimum of 50 participants will be targeted. The intervention group will receive a 12-week Self-Management Programme (SMP), consisting of one session per week (a total of 12 hours). The control group will receive a single informational session. The SMP will focus on developing skills such as goal setting, time management, stress coping, self-motivation, problem solving, energy awareness, and activity planning. The program content will be structured based on self-management models described in the literature, including CDSMP, OPTIMAL, and MAP. Assessments will be conducted before the intervention and at the end of the 12th week. Data collection tools will include a Demographic Information Form, the Piper Fatigue Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Psychological Resilience Scale for Adults, and the Occupational Balance Questionnaire.

Conditions

Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic

Keywords

Chronic fatigue; self-management; occupational balance; psychological resilience; quality of sleep

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Change in Fatigue Severity (Piper Fatigue Scale Total Score)

  Fatigue severity is assessed using the Piper Fatigue Scale total score. The scale evaluates multidimensional fatigue across behavioral, affective, sensory, and cognitive domains. Higher scores indicate greater fatigue severity. The primary outcome is the between-group difference in change in total score from baseline to week 12.

  Baseline and Week 12

• Change in Sleep Quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Total Score)

  Sleep quality is assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The scale evaluates subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction. Higher total scores indicate poorer sleep quality. The outcome is the between-group difference in change in total score from baseline to week 12.

  Baseline and Week 12

• Change in Psychological Resilience (Psychological Resilience Scale for Adults Total Score)

  Psychological resilience is assessed using the Psychological Resilience Scale for Adults. The scale measures structural style, future perception, family cohesion, self-perception, social competence, and social resources. Higher scores indicate greater psychological resilience. The outcome is the between-group difference in change in total score from baseline to week 12.

  Baseline and Week 12

• Change in Occupational Balance (Occupational Balance Questionnaire Total Score)

  Occupational balance is assessed using the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ). The questionnaire evaluates perceived balance among meaningful daily activities. Lower total scores indicate better occupational balance. The outcome is the between-group difference in change in total score from baseline to week 12.

  Baseline and Week 12

Study Arms (2)

Self-Management Programme (SMP)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this arm will receive a 12-week Self-Management Programme consisting of one 60-minute session per week (total 12 sessions). The program will include goal setting, energy and time management, stress coping strategies, problem-solving skills, activity planning, and behavioral activation techniques aimed at improving fatigue management, sleep quality, psychological resilience, and occupational balance.

Behavioral: Self-Management Programme for Chronic Fatigue

Control - Information Session

NO INTERVENTION

No intervention group

Interventions

Self-Management Programme for Chronic Fatigue BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive a 12-week structured Self-Management Programme consisting of one 60-minute session per week. The program includes goal setting, energy conservation strategies, time management, stress coping techniques, problem-solving skills, activity planning, fatigue monitoring, and behavioral activation components. The intervention is designed to improve fatigue management, sleep quality, psychological resilience, and occupational balance among university students with chronic fatigue.

Self-Management Programme (SMP)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Being 18 years of age or older
• Being enrolled as a university student
• Ability to read and understand Turkish
• Scoring ≥4 (moderate fatigue or higher) on the Piper Fatigue Scale
• Providing written informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Having a diagnosed chronic medical condition (e.g., neurological, autoimmune, endocrine, or other chronic systemic diseases)
• Having a diagnosed psychiatric disorder
• Being employed part-time or full-time in addition to university education
• Currently receiving structured psychological or behavioral intervention related to fatigue management
• Inability to complete assessment forms

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hacettepe University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Hacettepe University

Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (5)

• olmefur, M., Roshanay, A., White, S., Janeslätt, G., Vimefall, E., & Lidström-Holmqvist, K. (2021). Evaluation of the "Let's Get Organized" group intervention to improve time management: protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial. Trials, 22(1), 640

  BACKGROUND

• Brown, S. E., Shah, A., Czuber-Dochan, W., Bench, S., & Stayt, L. (2023). Non-pharmacological interventions for self-management of fatigue in adults: An umbrella review of potential interventions to support patients recovering from critical illness. Journal of critical care, 75, 154279.

  BACKGROUND

• Alghamdi, A., Alyahya, N., Aldhamri, Y., Alsufyani, M. E., Al-Rawi, M. B. A., & Syed, W. (2025). Online survey of fatigue and associated factors among university students in Riyadh Saudi Arabia. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 35210.

  BACKGROUND

• Alizadeh, N., Packer, T., Chen, Y.-T., & Alnasery, Y. (2023). What we know about fatigue self-management programs for people living with chronic conditions: A scoping review. Patient Education and Counseling, 114, 107866.

  BACKGROUND

• Altuntaş, O., & Özkan, E. (2025). Self-management training with online intervention process for young adults with chronic conditions: Effects on self-management, emotion regulation, and occupational balance: A randomized controlled study. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 17(1), e12644.

  BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Muscular Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Encephalomyelitis; Neuroinflammatory Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Chronic Disease; Disease Attributes; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic; Dyssomnias; Sleep Wake Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: MSc. Occupational Therapist, Research Assistant

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 2, 2026
• First Posted: March 6, 2026
• Study Start: September 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: October 1, 2024
• Study Completion: September 1, 2025
• Last Updated: March 6, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)