The Effect of Family Member Voices on Dopamine, Serotonin Levels, and Pain in Patients in Intensive Care Units

In intensive care units, the frequent use of analgesics leads to polypharmacy and increased costs for patients. By embracing a patient-centered care principle, nursing believes that patients may be happier and experience reduced pain when they hear the voices of their familiar ones, thereby directly improving their quality of life. Listening to the voices of family members is expected to have positive effects on patients due to its ease of implementation, low cost, and non-invasive nature.

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Key information

Conditions

Patient Engagement Behavior Family Members' Voices Health Behavior Intensive Care (ICU) Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Patient Acceptance of Health Care Patient Participation Personal Satisfaction Signs and Symptoms Treatment Adherence and Compliance

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Malatya Turgut Ozal Medical Center, Malatya, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

In intensive care units, the frequent use of analgesics leads to excessive medication use and increased costs for patients. By embracing a patient-centered care principle, nursing believes that patients may be happier and experience reduced pain when they hear the voices of their familiar ones, thereby directly improving their quality of life. Listening to the voices of family members is expected to have positive effects on patients due to its ease of implementation, low cost, and non-invasive nature. This study was planned to be conducted between 01.03.2025 and 01.03.2026 at İnönü University Turgut Özal Medical Center General Surgery Intensive Care, Neurology Intensive Care, and Neurosurgery Intensive Care units. The aim was to determine the effects of family members' voices on dopamine and serotonin levels and pain in ICU patients, as well as family members' satisfaction levels. The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial. The sample for the study would consist of 78 ICU patients (experimental group = 39, control group = 39) treated in these clinics, determined by power analysis for the data collection dates. In the experimental group, recordings of emotionally charged voices from family members were played to patients using headphones for a total of 40 minutes, structured as 2 sets of 20 minutes each with a 10-minute rest between applications. In both groups, behavioral pain assessment was planned at 0, 20, and 50 minutes, and dopamine and serotonin levels would be measured from venous blood samples. To collect study data, a Personal Information Form, Glasgow Coma Scale, Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale, Behavioral Pain Scale, and a family member satisfaction questionnaire (FS-ICU-24) were used. Power analysis conducted with the G*Power program considered an effect size of 0.20, a significance level of 0.05, a 95% confidence interval, and 0.95 power.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

Must be between 18 and 65 years old.
Must be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU).
Must not have been fed in the last hour.
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score between 3 and 8.
To agitation in deep coma, the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) score must be between -3 and +2.

Exclusion criteria

Having a known hearing-related illness or having undergone a surgical procedure involving the ear.
Having taken any of the hormones cortisol, serotonin, or dopamine within the last 48 hours.
Having taken any analgesic within the last 4 hours.

Treatment and study plan

experimental group

Other

The patients' relatives were given a detailed explanation of the procedures and were asked to fill out a patient/family satisfaction questionnaire. The topics to be discussed by the patient's family members were defined within a framework, and audio recordings were obtained. At 0 minutes, 5 mL of venous blood was drawn to assess dopamine and serotonin levels, and behavioral pain scores were recorded. Between 0 and 20 minutes, for 20 minutes, the audio recordings were played to the patient via headphones, 5 mL of venous blood was drawn again to assess dopamine and serotonin levels, and behavioral pain scores were recorded. At 10 minutes, the headphones were removed and the patient was exposed to normal ICU sounds. Between 30 and 50 minutes, again for 20 minutes, the audio recordings were played to the patient via headphones, 5 mL of venous blood was drawn again to assess dopamine and serotonin levels, and behavioral pain scores were recorded.

Primary outcomes

Compared with Baseline, at 20 And 50 Minutes after The Patient-Family Voice Recordings Were Played, Dopamine and Serotonin Levels İncreased and Pain Decreased According to The Behavioral Pain Scale.

Time frame: Changes in dopamine, serotonin, and pain at 0, 20, and 50 minutes after the patient's family voices were played.

An increase in dopamine and serotonin levels in the venous blood of patients compared with the control group, and a low score on the measured Behavioral Pain Scale relative to baseline (with 10 being the highest and 1 the lowest), would indicate that the audio recordings are a positive intervention.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Zeliha CENGİZ

Other

Collaborators

Inonu University

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Feb 11, 2026
Registry last updated: Feb 11, 2026

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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