Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although electroconvulsive therapy is a proven and secure treatment, it may induce anxiety and fear among patients and their families. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the impact of video-based education on the fear and anxiety of patients with bipolar disorders who are candidates for electroconvulsive therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This clinical trial was conducted on 72 individuals with bipolar disorders who were candidates for electroconvulsive therapy in Hamadan in 2021. In addition to routine care, the intervention group received educational materials through instructional videos by a Masters-level researcher. Data was collected using questionnaires assessing demographic and clinical characteristics, the Spielberger Anxiety Inventory, and a two-part questionnaire to investigate phobias. The collected data were entered into SPSS-24 software and underwent statistical analysis, with a significance level of less than 0.05 considered. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the average anxiety and fear scores between the two groups before the intervention (P > 0.05). However, after implementing the educational intervention in both the intervention and control groups, there was a significant disparity in the average anxiety scores between the different study stages. Notably, the intervention group exhibited a more substantial reduction in anxiety (P < 0.001). After the educational intervention, the intervention group was the only one to show a significant decrease in average fear scores between the study stages (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This approach effectively alleviates anxiety and fear in bipolar disorder patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy. Psychiatric department nurses should incorporate video-based education into their practices to enhance treatment outcomes.