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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07078097

Healing Sounds for Pregnant Women: Sape' Dayak Music and Anxiety Reduction

This study investigates whether listening to traditional Dayak Sape' music could reduce anxiety in pregnant women as effectively as traditional lullabies. The researchers will recruit 32 pregnant women and divide them into two groups: one listened to Sape' Dayak music, and the other listened to Brahms' Lullaby. Anxiety levels will be measured before and after the music interventions using the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS).

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Key information

Age range

20 year–35 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Midwifery clinics

Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, 73112, Indonesia

About this study

Pregnancy is a wonderful experience, but it can also be a source of anxiety for many women owing to hormonal changes, body changes, and the prospect of motherhood. This anxiety is not just uncomfortable; it can have a substantial influence on both the mother's and the baby's health. Recognizing this, experts are increasingly turning at non-medical approaches to aid, and music therapy is gaining popularity due to its low side effects.

Music has long been used for relaxation in various cultures, and it has been shown to have an effect on our physiology, including hormone release. This study will look specifically at the possibility of the Sape' Dayak, a traditional Indonesian instrument, as a therapeutic tool. The Sape' is noted for its relaxing properties and has a significant cultural value for the Dayak people. It is frequently utilized in healing rituals and community activities. While its cultural significance is evident, its specific benefit in relieving anxiety in pregnant women has not been extensively researched.

The primary purpose of this study is to address that research gap. The study is seeking to determine whether listening to Sape' Dayak music may reduce anxiety levels in pregnant mothers as effectively as traditional lullabies. The study intends to encourage holistic health practices while also contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage.

The study is designed as a quasi-experiment, with a control group. Researchers will recruit 32 pregnant women in the third trimester (28-40 weeks) from midwifery clinics. Participants require to be at least 18 years old, have poor sleep quality (a PSQI score of 5 or above). They will be eliminated if they are more than 40 weeks pregnant, have a mental disorder that affects their view of reality, or are carrying twins.

The 32 respondents will be split into two groups of sixteen each. One group, the intervention group (IG), will listen traditional Sape' Dayak music. The control group (CG) will listen to Brahms' Lullaby. Participants in both groups will be told to lightly massage their abdomens and visualize their infants while listening to music through earbuds for 20 minutes a day for three days straight. The music sessions will be held in the participants' homes to ensure privacy and comfort, with doors and windows closed.

Anxiety levels will be measured using the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS) both before (pre-test) and after the music intervention. The PASS is a solid and useful measure for identifying anxiety symptoms unique to perinatal women. The PASS scores assist characterize anxiety as little, mild-moderate, or severe. The acquired data will be examined using statistical software to assess anxiety levels across and within groups.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

1). Third trimester of pregnancy (28-40 weeks); 2). At least 20 years old; 3). Having a score on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score > 5, which indicates poor sleep quality; 3). Primiparous.

Exclusion criteria

  • . Beyond the 40th week of pregnancy;
  • . Having mental illness that caused hallucinations or altered perception of reality;

5). Having a twin pregnancy.

Treatment and study plan

Traditional Sape' Dayak Music Listening

Other

This intervention is distinguished by its use of the Sape' Dayak, a specific traditional musical instrument from East Kalimantan, Indonesia, known for its gentle, contemplative, and culturally significant sounds. The music utilizes pentatonic melodies that foster a serene and emotionally relaxing environment. Its distinct rhythm (80-85 beats per minute) is also a key feature. The intervention also incorporates a gentle abdominal massage and imagining the infant.

Brahms' Lullaby Music Therapy

Other

This intervention is distinguished by its use of a globally popular and well-known lullaby composed by Johannes Brahms. The lyrics typically revolve around themes of love and affection, expressing mothers' love and tenderness for their fetuses. Unlike the Sape' Dayak, the specific lullaby will be preselected by the researcher to ensure a homogeneous intervention, with personal lullaby preferences ignored to avoid bias. Participants also engage in gentle abdominal touching and reflection on their unborn children.

Primary outcomes

  1. The Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS)

    Time frame: The anxiety levels of the participants will be assessed before the music intervention (pre-test) and after the music intervention (post-test). The post-test assessment will be conducted 20 minutes after the 3-day music intervention.

    The primary outcome measure is the level of anxiety in pregnant women, assessed using the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS). This self-report instrument consists of 31 items, with participants rating subjective anxiety on a Likert scale from 0 (not at all) to 3 (very much). The PASS will be administered before and after the music intervention. It identifies anxiety symptoms specific to perinatal women and includes four subscales: acute anxiety and adjustment; general concern and specific fears; perfectionism, control, and trauma; and social anxiety. The total score is the sum of individual item scores. A cut-off score of 26 indicates clinically significant anxiety, with categories of minimal (0-20), mild-moderate (21-26), and severe (>26) anxiety. The PASS is validated and reliable in both English and Bahasa versions.

  2. The level of anxiety in pregnant women, assessed using the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS)

    Time frame: The anxiety levels of the participants will be assessed before the music intervention (pre-test) and after the music intervention (post-test). The post-test assessment will be conducted 20 minutes after the 3-day music intervention.

    The primary outcome measure is the level of anxiety in pregnant women, assessed using the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS). This self-report instrument consists of 31 items, with participants rating subjective anxiety on a Likert scale from 0 (not at all) to 3 (very much). The PASS will be administered before and after the music intervention. It identifies anxiety symptoms specific to perinatal women and includes four subscales: acute anxiety and adjustment; general concern and specific fears; perfectionism, control, and trauma; and social anxiety. The total score is the sum of individual item scores. A cut-off score of 26 indicates clinically significant anxiety, with categories of minimal (0-20), mild-moderate (21-26), and severe (>26) anxiety. The PASS is validated and reliable in both English and Bahasa versions.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Health Polytechnic of Palangka Raya

Other

Registry information

Official study title

"A Heritage of Healing: Traditional Song and Its Anxiety-Mitigating Effects During Pregnancy"

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Jul 22, 2025
Registry last updated
Jul 22, 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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