Effect of Spiritual Intelligence Training on the Anxiety of Medical Sciences Students: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction & Objective: Anxiety among medical students is a major psychological problem and in the newest meta-analysis, its global prevalence rate is estimated to be 33.8%. Accordingly and since spiritual intelligence training can affect to resolve fundamental issues and enhance individuals' adaptability by facilitating communication with a superior and sacred power and the development of relevant beliefs, norms, and values, so this study carried out to determine the effect of spiritual intelligence training on the anxiety of medical sciences students. Materials & Methods: In this randomized clinical trial in 2016, 424 students from Yasuj and Larestan Universities of medical sciences-Iran were selected using convenience sampling. Among them, 50 eligible students who their scores of the trait anxiety and state anxiety were equal or higher than 43, divided into intervention and control group with the equal member using quadratic block random allocation. While the control group did not receive any intervention, the spiritual intelligence training accomplished for the intervention group based on the protocol. In addition to completing demographic information, at the beginning of the study and one month after completion of research intervention, the trait anxiety, and state anxiety of all participating students in the research as the dependent variables measured using Spielberger state-trait anxiety inventory. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 software, through the Chi-square test, independent sample t-test, and paired sample t-test. Results: At the beginning of the study, there was no significant difference between the intervention group and the control group regarding demographic characteristics, amount of the trait anxiety and state anxiety (P>0.05). One month after the completion of research intervention, the amount of the trait anxiety (42.20±9.42) and the state anxiety (41.92±8.41) in the intervention group was significantly less than these amount in the control group respectively 49.28±7.47 and 51.88±6.78 (P<0.05). Conclusion: The spiritual intelligence training causes a decrease in the trait and state anxiety of medical sciences students.