Abstract
Patients with auditory hallucinations usually experience high levels of anxiety because of disturbing voices that are difficult to control. One non-pharmacological nursing approach that can be used to reduce anxiety is sensory perception group activity therapy (SPGAT). This study aims to determine the effect of SPGAT on the anxiety levels of patients with auditory hallucinations in Aceh Psychiatric Hospital. The research employed a pre-experimental study design with a one-group pre-test post-test design. The population consisted of 518 patients, with a sample of 10 patients selected using a purposive sampling technique. The intervention was conducted in three consecutive sessions, in every session lasting for 60 minutes. The data collection instruments included the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (ZSAS). The data were analyzed using the paired sample T-test. The results showed a significant decrease in anxiety levels, with the average score before therapy being 68.00 and after therapy 59.40, showing a reduction of 8.60 points, with a p-value < 0.000 (p < 0.05). Based on these findings, it can be concluded that SPGAT effectively reduces anxiety levels. This study recommends that nurses in Aceh Psychiatric Hospital use this therapy routinely as part of psychiatric nursing interventions in the hospital.
