The effects of music listening on psychosocial stress and maternal-fetal attachment during pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
While 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.


METHODS
A 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).


METHODS
The experimental group received routine prenatal care and music listening. The control group received routine prenatal care only.


METHODS
Data were collected using a demographic form, Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale (PSRS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS).


RESULTS
The 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.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides evidence in support of using of music in interventions designed to relieve psychosocial stress in prenatal women. IRB approval number: ER98223.
Institute of Allied Health Science, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan. Electronic address: elinacelia@gmail.com.
Hsing-Chi
HC
Chang
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University Medical Center, No. 138, Sheng Li Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan. Electronic address: mchydr@mail.ncku.edu.tw.
Chen-Hsiang
CH
Yu
Department of Nursing, HungKuang University, No. 1018, Sec. 6, Taiwan Boulevard, Shalu District, Taichung 403, Taiwan. Electronic address: shuyueh@sunrise.hk.edu.tw.
Shu-Yueh
SY
Chen
Institute of Allied Health Science, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan. Electronic address: chunghey@mail.ncku.edu.tw.
Chung-Hey
CH
Chen
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033261:Maternal-Fetal Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009147:Music Therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
Maternal–fetal attachment; Music; Perceived stress; Psychosocial stress