The effect of music played during non-stress test on fetal parameters, maternal anxiety, loneliness and positive-negative emotions,

The research aimed to evaluate the effects of music played during a Non-Stress Test (NST) on fetal parameters and the expectant mother's anxiety, loneliness, and emotions (both positive and negative). It was conducted with a randomized controlled experimental design between January and April 2023 in the NST unit of a public university in Istanbul. The study included 100 pregnant women (50 in the experimental group and 50 in the control group). Data were collected using the "Personal Information Form", the "State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-I)", the "Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSSA-S)", and the "Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)". Prior to the NST, the data collection tools were administered to the experimental group. The findings showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics (except for the average gestational age) (p>0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in the fetal movement count, acceleration rates, and fetal heart rate between the two groups (p>0.05). However, significant differences were found in the post-test State Anxiety Scale scores, both between groups and within the experimental group (p<0.05). The experimental group showed lower scores in all sub-dimensions of the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale at the post-test compared to the pre-test. In the experimental group, the scores for the positive emotions subscale were significantly higher, while the negative emotions subscale scores were significantly lower in the post-test compared to the pre-test (p<0.05). In conclusion, the study determined that music reduced the stress levels of pregnant women, increased fetal movements and accelerations, and positively affected their emotional experiences during the NST. Key words: Music, Negative, Nst, Positive, Pregnant