Coloring away fear: mandala therapy tested for dads in the delivery waiting room
NCT ID NCT07704541
First seen Jul 15, 2026 · Last updated Jul 21, 2026 · Updated 4 times
Summary
This study tests whether a 20-minute mandala coloring session can reduce childbirth fear and anxiety in fathers whose partners are giving birth for the first time. Fathers waiting outside the delivery room are randomly assigned to either color a mandala or receive standard care. Their fear and anxiety levels are measured before and after the session using validated scales.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a single 20-25 minute mandala coloring session as a relaxation-based expressive art therapy
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this simple, low-cost activity could offer a way to ease fear and anxiety for expectant fathers during labor.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-session trial with no long-term follow-up, so any benefits may be temporary or not generalizable.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 148 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 40 years
- Sex
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Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Fathers whose partners are nulliparous pregnant women Fathers aged 18 years and older Fathers whose partners are admitted for planned vaginal delivery Fathers present in the obstetric waiting area during the study period Fathers who are able to read and understand Turkish Fathers who voluntarily agree to participate in the study Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of obstetric emergency or unplanned change in delivery method (e.g., emergency cesarean section) History of diagnosed psychiatric disorders requiring treatment (e.g., anxiety disorders) Inability to understand or complete study questionnaires Absence from the waiting area during the intervention period
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
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