Protocol of a randomized controlled trial of nurse-led de-stressful skill interventions in patients with depression disorder.

Background: Stress is associated with the development and worsening of depression disorder. Therefore, various stress reduction interventions have been surged to cope with stress and enhance treatment outcomes for patients with depressive disorder. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of nurse-led de-stressful skill interventions (NDSI) among patients with depression.

Materials and methods: Patients with depression disorders aged between 18 and 65 years will be randomly allocated into two groups. The treatment-as-usual (TAU) group patients will receive standard care. In contrast, patients in the NDSI group will receive seven sessions of the NDSI interventions over 8 weeks. Primary outcomes are stress, resilience, self-esteem, coping strategies, and quality of life. Data will be collected at three different intervals: baseline, post-intervention at 8 weeks, and follow-up at 12 weeks. The following standardized instruments will be applied: Perceived Stress Scale, Brief Resilience Scale, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, Brief COPE Scale, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.

Conclusion: The finding of this study is expected to determine the effect of NDSI on patients with depression disorder, which would optimize treatment in patients with depression disorder.