An interventional study of stress ball and 4-7-8 breathing technique in Endoscopy, Breathing Exercises and Cognitive Therapy, sponsored by Kafkas University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 65 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-22.
Sponsored by Kafkas University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
The study aimed to examine the effects of two different applications (stress ball and 4-7-8 breathing technique) before Upper GI Endoscopy on patients' fear, anxiety and physiological parameters before the procedure.
The study as a single-blind, pre-test and post-test experimental study.
Due to the procedures involved, endoscopy patients experience high levels of fear and anxiety. Fear and anxiety may activate the patient's autonomic nervous system, causing increased sweating, heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate, and complications related to the procedure. Reducing fear and anxiety and making the patient feel relaxed not only prevents possible harm to the patient due to the procedure, but also facilitates the work of the healthcare team performing the procedure and ensures accurate results. In this context, this study aimed to examine the effects of stress ball exercise and 4-7-8 breathing technique on the fear, anxiety and vital signs of patients who will undergo Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy.
4,868 studies on the registry are indexed under Anxiety Disorders; 1,390 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 75 is close to the median of 80 across 4,174 interventional studies indexed under Anxiety Disorders.
Browse Anxiety Disorders studies →Kafkas University is the lead sponsor of 32 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
group applying the stress ball for 20 minute before endoscopy
Other: stress ball
group applying the 4-7-8 breathing technique for 6 sets before endoscopy
Other: 4-7-8 breathing technique
The group in which no intervention was performed before endoscopy and routine care was given
Patients squeeze the stress ball
breathing in quietly through the nose for 4 seconds. holding the breath for a count of 7 seconds. exhaling forcefully through the mouth for 8 seconds.
Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
Developed by Price et al. (1983), VAS is a reliable, valid and practical measurement tool for repeated measurements. The scale, which is generally used to score pain, will be used in this study to score patients' fear between 1-10 points. The scale is represented by a 10 cm line representing the lowest and highest scores for fear (0 = no fear, 10 = most intense fear).
Time frame: At the beginning and end of the 20-minute stress ball or breathing exercise intervention (before the endoscopy procedure)
State-Trait Anxiety İnventory
It was developed by Spielberger and his colleagues in 1970. It has two parts: State and Trait Anxiety. The State Anxiety Scale section determines how a person feels at a particular moment and under certain conditions. The feelings or behaviors expressed by the person are answered by marking one of the options: (1) not at all, (2) a little, (3) a lot, (4) completely, depending on the degree of severity. Trait Anxiety Scale is related to how the individual feels in general, regardless of the current situation.
Time frame: At the beginning and end of the 20-minute stress ball or breathing exercise intervention (before the endoscopy procedure)
systolic blood pressure (mm/Hg)
Measurements are made at the beginning and end of the stress ball or breathing exercise intervention applied before the endoscopy (before the endoscopy procedure).
Time frame: At the beginning and end of the 20-minute stress ball or breathing exercise intervention (before the endoscopy procedure)
diastolic blood pressure (mm/Hg)
Measurement are made at the beginning and end of the stress ball or breathing exercise intervention applied before the endoscopy (before the endoscopy procedure).
Time frame: At the beginning and end of the 20-minute stress ball or breathing exercise intervention (before the endoscopy procedure)
SpO2-peripheral oxygen saturation (%)
Measurement are made at the beginning and end of the stress ball or breathing exercise intervention applied before the endoscopy (before the endoscopy procedure).
Time frame: At the beginning and end of the 20-minute stress ball or breathing exercise intervention (before the endoscopy procedure)
Respiratory rate (minute value)
Measurement are made at the beginning and end of the stress ball or breathing exercise intervention applied before the endoscopy (before the endoscopy procedure).
Time frame: At the beginning and end of the 20-minute stress ball or breathing exercise intervention (before the endoscopy procedure)
heart rate (minute value)
Measurement are made at the beginning and end of the stress ball or breathing exercise intervention applied before the endoscopy (before the endoscopy procedure).
Time frame: At the beginning and end of the 20-minute stress ball or breathing exercise intervention (before the endoscopy procedure)
Plan to share: No
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Kafkas University