An observational study in Anxiety, Bowel Habits and Constipation, sponsored by Lokman Hekim University. Recruiting at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-22.
Sponsored by Lokman Hekim University · Observational
This observational cross-sectional study aims to examine the relationship between test anxiety, bowel health, and constipation in university students. The study will include undergraduate students aged 18 years and older who are studying in the Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department at Lokman Hekim University and who are in their final examination period.
Participants will complete self-report questionnaires during a single face-to-face assessment session. Constipation status will be evaluated using the Rome IV criteria, stool form will be assessed using the Bristol Stool Scale, constipation severity will be assessed using the Constipation Severity Instrument, and test anxiety level will be assessed using the Test Anxiety Inventory. Sociodemographic characteristics and bowel-related symptoms will also be recorded.
The study does not include any intervention or treatment. The findings are expected to help better understand whether test anxiety during examination periods is associated with bowel health problems and constipation in university students.
Constipation is a common gastrointestinal problem that may affect quality of life, daily activities, and psychosocial well-being. University students may be particularly vulnerable to bowel habit changes during examination periods because of increased academic stress and test-related anxiety.
This study is designed as an observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study. It will evaluate whether test anxiety is associated with bowel health indicators and constipation among university students during the final examination period. The study will be conducted at Lokman Hekim University with undergraduate students from the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation.
After providing informed consent, participants will complete self-report forms and questionnaires in a single face-to-face assessment session. The assessment will include questions about sociodemographic characteristics, bowel habits, bowel-related symptoms, constipation status, stool form, constipation severity, and test anxiety level. No intervention, treatment, randomization, or follow-up assessment will be performed.
The study is expected to provide information about the possible relationship between psychological stress related to examinations and bowel health in university students. The findings may contribute to a better understanding of stress-related bowel problems and may support future preventive approaches for young adults.
1,046 studies on the registry are indexed under Constipation; 161 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 200 is above the median of 120 across 126 observational studies indexed under Constipation.
Browse Constipation studies →Lokman Hekim University is the lead sponsor of 43 studies on the registry; 17 are open to participants now.
Compared within Constipation, this study's primary condition as ClinicalTrials.gg classifies it; the registry's first condition term is Anxiety Disorders. The counts are of registry records indexed under each term, refreshed daily. How we classify →
The study population will include undergraduate Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation students at Lokman Hekim University who are in their final examination period during the data collection process. Eligible participants will be 18 years of age or older, able to read and complete the self-report questionnaires independently, and willing to provide written informed consent.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Undergraduate students aged 18 years and older who are studying in the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at Lokman Hekim University and who are in their final examination period. Participants will complete self-report questionnaires assessing test anxiety, bowel habits, stool form, constipation status, and constipation severity during a single face-to-face assessment session.
Other: Observational assessment
Participants completed assessment forms and diaries. No intervention was administered.
Constipation Status Assessed by the Rome IV Criteria
Constipation status will be assessed using the Rome IV criteria. This outcome will be reported as a binary classification: presence or absence of constipation. Participants will be classified as having constipation or not having constipation according to constipation-related symptoms, including reduced stool frequency, straining, hard stools, sensation of incomplete evacuation, sensation of anorectal obstruction, and need for manual maneuvers. The Rome IV criteria will not be reported as a scale score.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1)
Constipation Severity Assessed by the Constipation Severity Instrument
Constipation severity will be assessed using the Constipation Severity Instrument. The scale includes 16 items and evaluates constipation-related symptoms across three subdomains: obstructive defecation, colonic inertia, and pain. The total score ranges from 0 to 73, with higher scores indicating more severe constipation symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1)
Stool Form Assessed by the Bristol Stool Scale
Stool form will be assessed using the Bristol Stool Scale. The Bristol Stool Scale is a 7-point stool form classification scale ranging from Type 1 to Type 7. Type 1 indicates separate hard lumps, and Type 7 indicates watery stool with no solid pieces. Higher scores do not indicate a better or worse outcome; lower scores generally indicate harder stool forms, while higher scores indicate looser stool forms. Participants will be asked to select the stool type that best represents their most common stool form during the last week.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1)
Test Anxiety Level Assessed by the Test Anxiety Inventory
Test anxiety level will be assessed using the Test Anxiety Inventory. The scale consists of 20 self-report items evaluating cognitive, emotional, and physiological symptoms of anxiety experienced before and during examinations. Total scores range from 20 to 80, with higher scores indicating higher test anxiety.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1)
Bowel Habits and Bowel-Related Symptoms
Bowel habits and bowel-related symptoms will be assessed using a researcher-developed evaluation form. The form includes questions about stool frequency, postponement of defecation, perceived bowel health, preferred toilet type, and symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, indigestion, and constipation during the last week.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1)
Plan to share: No
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Lokman Hekim University