The Effect of Quran Recitation on Exam Anxiety Among Medical Students

The Effect of Quran Recitation on Exam Anxiety Among Medical Students

A randomized, parallel-group clinical trial with a control group, conducted on 152 students. Class lists were used for randomization.

the intervention group will be exposed to the recitation of the Quran during exams, data collection tools will be provided to students in the exam hall, and questionnaires will be collected after completion.

Inclusion criteria for the study: Studying medicine at the Semnan Faculty of Medicine, being in pre-internship semesters, not suffering from a mental illness, not taking psychiatric medications, not participating in stress management classes, and having no experience of the death of second-degree relatives in the past six months. Exclusion criteria: Students who arrived late to the exam session or had chosen fewer than two courses.

The intervention group will be exposed to the recitation of the Quran during exams, while the control group will not receive this recitation during exams. The selected audio will be Surah Al-Insan recited by Islam Sobhi for 6 minutes. The data collection tools will include a demographic information questionnaire and the standardized Spielberger Anxiety Scale (STAI), which will be completed by students before the start of the exam.

Situational anxiety

The list of courses offered in the academic semester will be obtained in coordination with the education department and randomly divided into two groups, experimental and control, using RCT. Courses with even numbers will be assigned to the control group (Group 1), and courses with odd numbers will be assigned to the intervention group (Group 2).

Personal identity data (such as name, national ID number, contact information, and any personal identifiers) are completely removed and not included in the shared files. All data, after undergoing a de-identification process, including research data and results, are shared anonymously without any possibility of tracing individual identities. Data related to the primary study outcomes will be shared without full demographic details. Data related to interventions and their implementation will be provided in summary form, without personal information, as accompanying documentation.

The access period will begin 6 months after the publication of the results.

Requests for data and documentation will only be accepted from researchers, graduate students, or reputable research institutions that have clear research objectives and adhere to ethical research principles.

Formal Request: The request must be submitted in writing and include a full description of the purpose and the type of analysis or intended use of the data and documents. The applicant must also guarantee that the data will only be used for the specified purposes. Confidentiality and Ethics Agreement: Before receiving the data, the requester must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and a commitment to adhere to ethical principles and protect the research data. Permitted Types of Analysis: Statistical and research analyses aligned with the primary objectives of the study and aimed at advancing knowledge in ergonomics, occupational health, or related fields are permitted. Any commercial use, reproduction of data for non-research purposes, or analyses violating ethical principles is prohibited. Restrictions on Further Sharing: Received data cannot be transferred or shared with any other individual or entity without prior written permission from the data owner. Reporting Results: The researcher is obliged to present the results of the data analysis in the form of a report or scientific article and provide a copy of the results to the data owner. Privacy Protection: Data usage must ensure the privacy of participants is maintained, and no information that could reveal individual identities will be disclosed.

Semnan, Basij Boulevard, Central Headquarters of Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Deputy of Research and Technology Phone: +98 23 3345 1336 Email: [sem.ums.res@gmail.com]

Preparation of Official Request The applicant must prepare a formal letter or request form including: • A detailed description of the research purpose and intended use of the data • The type of required data and documents • The planned analysis or use of the data This step usually takes 2 to 5 business days. Submitting the Request to the Research Team The request should be sent to the email address or portal designated by the research data manager. Initial Review of the Request The research team reviews the request for completeness, alignment of objectives with research policies, and applicant’s eligibility. This step typically takes 5 to 10 business days. Request for Additional Documents (if needed) If more documents are required (e.g., CV, proposal, introduction letter), the applicant will be asked to provide them. The duration depends on the applicant’s response time (usually 5 business days). Signing Agreements and Commitments After preliminary approval, the applicant must sign and submit the confidentiality agreement and the ethical research commitment. This step takes 3 to 7 business days. Final Approval and Data Preparation Upon receipt of signed agreements, the research team issues final permission and prepares the requested data and documents, ensuring de-identification. This process usually takes 7 to 14 business days. Sending Data and Documents to the Applicant Data will be sent securely (e.g., via data portal, encrypted email, or secure drive). Depending on the delivery method, this step may take 1 to 3 business days.