title: Supportive counselling programme for nursing students experiencing academic failure: randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper is a report of a study examining the effects of a supportive counselling programme on the academic performance of Iranian nursing students experiencing academic failure.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  In order to using limited educational resources effectively, nursing students experiencing academic failure should be immediately identified in order that appropriate intervention can take place.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected over a 12-month period in 2006-2007, with 42 Bachelor of Science nursing students who displayed poor academic performance. They were randomly allocated to receive either supportive or ordinary counselling. The mean grades in basic theoretical courses, special courses, and also the combination of both basic and special courses was compared between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the study period, there were improvements in the mean grades of special courses and also in both basic and special courses of male students in the experimental group, compared with those of male students in the control group (0.27 against -1.43, P = 0.014; and 1.87 against -0.40, P = 0.009; respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A supportive counselling programme can improve the academic performance of male nursing students. Replication of the current study with larger samples and longer duration is recommended.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran, Iran. hpeyravi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peyrovi
authors.forename: Soroor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parvizy
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haghani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*