Coloring away fear: mandala therapy tested for dads in the delivery waiting room

NCT ID NCT07704541

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
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Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
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Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

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Status unknown
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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

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

About 148 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Sep 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Nov 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

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

18 to 40 years

Sex

Male participants only

Healthy volunteers

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

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

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