The effects of music listening on psychosocial stress and maternal–fetal attachment during pregnancy

• Conducting RCT of short music listening on pregnancy-related stress.
• Music listening can be an effective coping strategy to reduce pregnancy stress.
• Music therapy is used as a complementary therapy to enhance psychosocial well-being.
• Short music intervention has no significant effect on maternal–fetal attachment.

ObjectiveWhile music listening has been studied as an intervention to help reduce anxiety in pregnant women, few studies have explored the effect of music listening on pregnancy-specific stress relief. This study examines the effects of music listening on psychosocial stress and maternal–fetal attachment during pregnancy.DesignA randomized controlled trial was implemented. A valid sample of 296 pregnant women in their second or third trimester was randomly distributed into an experimental group (n = 145) and a control group (n = 151).InterventionsThe experimental group received routine prenatal care and music listening. The control group received routine prenatal care only.Main outcome measuresData were collected using a demographic form, Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale (PSRS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Maternal–Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS).ResultsThe post-test results identified a significantly lower level of psychosocial stress in the experimental group than in the control group, particularly in terms of the stresses related to baby care and changing family relationships and to maternal role identification. However, no statistically significant differences in terms of perceived stress and maternal–fetal attachment were found between the post-test results of the two groups.ConclusionThis study provides evidence in support of using of music in interventions designed to relieve psychosocial stress in prenatal women.IRB approval number: ER98223