Effect of Music Listening on Early Mobility in Children Undergoing Appendectomy

This randomized controlled study aimed to evaluate the effect of music listening on the initial mobility level of children who underwent appendectomy. The study was conducted at Ankara Etlik City Hospital, Pediatric Surgery Clinic, between March and May 2025. A total of 68 children aged 6-18 years, with no other systematic diseases and who consented to participate, were included. The music group consisted of 34 children and the control group of 34. A specially designed music pool, tailored separately for 6-11 and 12-18 age groups, was developed through child interviews, expert opinions, national education materials, and evidence-based motivational music. Children in the music group listened to music postoperatively, while the control group received only standard clinical care. Data were collected using the Child Information Form, Patient Mobility Scale, and Observer Mobility Scale.

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Key information

Conditions

Appendectomy Child Mobility Mobilization Music Listening Intervention

Age range

6 year–18 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Ankara Etlik City Hospital

Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

The child must have undergone an appendectomy.
Be between the ages of 6 and 18.
Have no motor impairments that would impede mobility.
Have no additional chronic/systemic diseases.

Exclusion criteria

Refusal to continue participating in the study at any stage.
Refusal to participate in the first mobility measurement of the study.

Treatment and study plan

Music Group Implementation Before surgery, children were asked whether they enjoyed listening to music and what styles of music they liked.

Behavioral

All procedures required for developing a music pool to be used for music listening intervention in children undergoing appendectomy were completed and are outlined as follows:

Children were asked about their music preferences.
Songs were selected from the Ministry of National Education's music books.
Music with proven effectiveness was selected from music platforms.
A music pool was created by the researcher based on these inputs.
Expert opinions were obtained from 12 academicians and 10 healthy children regarding the music pool.
Necessary revisions were made in line with expert feedback, and the final version of the music pool was determined.
A pilot application was conducted (data from the pilot were not included in the main data set).
Children were randomly assigned to the music and control groups using randomization (https://www.random.org).
A neutral observer (not the researcher/a blinded observer) was trained to administer the scales after the music intervention

Primary outcomes

Patient Mobility Score (Patient Mobility Scale Score)

Time frame: immediately after the surgery

Completed by the patient. The six-item scale evaluates three key postoperative mobilization activities: sitting on the bedside, standing at the bedside, and walking in the patient room. Each item is scored between 0 and 15, with the total scale score ranging from 0 to 90. Higher scores indicate greater pain and difficulty during mobilization, while lower scores reflect reduced pain and ease of movement.
The Observer Mobility Score (The Observer Mobility Scale Score)

Time frame: immediately after the surgery

Completed by the observer. The Observer Mobility Scale developed by the same authors as a complementary dimension to the Patient Mobility Scale, evaluates objective observations of the same three postoperative activities. Each item is scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with a total score range of 3 to 15. Higher scores reflect poorer mobility performance, while lower scores indicate better and more adequate postoperative mobility.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Akdeniz University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of Music Listening on the Initial Mobility Level of Pediatric Patients Undergoing Appendectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start: 2024
Primary completion: 2024
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Aug 19, 2025
Registry last updated: Aug 19, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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