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AzTrials

Pediatric CancerNCT07861477

Murottal as Adjunctive Intervention in Pediatric

A study testing Murottal Intervention in people with Pediatric Cancer and Hematologic Malignancies, run by Universitas Airlangga at 1 site in Indonesia.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study aims to evaluate whether listening to the recitation of Surah Ar-Rahman (Murottal) before bedtime can help improve anxiety and sleep quality in hospitalized children with blood cancer. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 8 to 12 years
What is being tested?
Murottal Intervention
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
20 participants
Where
1 siteIndonesia
Study dates
19 Dec 2025to 15 May 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 8 to 12 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Muslim pediatric patients aged 8-12 years.
  • Diagnosed with hematological malignancies (acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, or chronic myelogenous leukemia).
  • Hospitalized for chemotherapy.
  • Preserved auditory function (no hearing impairment).
  • Indonesian-literate guardians.
  • Baseline anxiety (SCARED score ≥25) or sleep disturbance (SDSC score >39).

Who cannot join

  • Severe neurological disorders.
  • Medical instability or requirement for ICU care.
  • Undetected sensory or auditory impairments at baseline.
  • Withdrawal of consent.
  • Significant medical deterioration or complications requiring transfer to the pediatric ICU.
  • Did not complete at least 5 of 7 intervention sessions.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Indonesia1 site

  • Dr. Soetomo Public Hospital

    Surabaya, East Java, 60131

Other trials in Indonesia

About this study

Official title: Quranic Auditory Stimulus (Surah Ar-Rahman) as Adjunctive Psychospiritual Intervention for Anxiety and Sleep Disturbances in Pediatric Blood Cancer: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aims to evaluate whether listening to the recitation of Surah Ar-Rahman (Murottal) before bedtime can help improve anxiety and sleep quality in hospitalized children with blood cancer. Twenty children aged 8-12 years will be divided into two groups: one group will receive standard care plus the Murottal intervention for 7 days, while the other group will receive standard care only. Anxiety and sleep quality will be measured using validated questionnaires (SCARED and SDSC) before and after the intervention. We hope this study will provide evidence that Murottal can be a safe, non-invasive, and culturally appropriate supportive therapy for pediatric cancer patients.

Read the detailed description

This was a pilot, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial conducted at Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia. Twenty pediatric patients aged 8-12 years with hematological malignancies (ALL, AML, or CML) were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (standard care + nightly Murottal recitation of Surah Ar-Rahman for 7 consecutive days) or a control group (standard care alone). The Murottal intervention consisted of a 13-minute and 5-second audio recording delivered via headphones before bedtime. Anxiety was measured using the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) questionnaire, and sleep disturbances were measured using the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC). The primary outcome was the change in SDSC score from baseline to post-intervention (day 8). Secondary outcomes included changes in SCARED scores and categorical anxiety changes. The trial was retrospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT07861477).

Being tested
Murottal Intervention
Keywords
Murottal, Surah Ar-Rahman, Anxiety, Sleep disturbances, Pediatric oncology
Medical subject headings
Neoplasms, Hematologic Neoplasms, Anxiety Disorders, Leukemia, Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute, Parasomnias

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Murottal InterventionBehavioural

    Also called Quranic Recitation, Surah Ar-Rahman

    Participants received standard medical and nursing oncology care plus a structured auditory intervention of Murottal (Quranic recitation of Surah Ar-Rahman) once daily for 7 consecutive nights at bedtime. The audio file was 13 minutes and 5 seconds, delivered in MP3 format via over-ear headphones at a volume below 60% of maximum (approximately 70 dB SPL). The intervention was performed between 20:00 and 21:00 while the child rested comfortably in bed. The recitation was performed by Muhammad Umar Mubarak from the educational channel Riko the Series.

Study groups in NCT07861477
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
ControlNo interventionParticipants received standard medical, nursing, and supportive pediatric oncology care without the Murottal auditory intervention. They were studied under the same hospital bed conditions for 7 consecutive days. At the end of the study, families in the control arm received the Murottal audio package and psychospiritual supportive educational materials to ensure ethical fairness.
Murottal InterventionExperimentalParticipants received standard medical and nursing oncology care plus a structured auditory intervention of Murottal (Quranic recitation of Surah Ar-Rahman) once daily for 7 consecutive nights at bedtime. The audio file was 13 minutes 5 seconds, delivered via over-ear headphones at a volume below 60% of maximum (approximately 70 dB SPL). The intervention was performed between 20:00 and 21:00 while the child rested in bed.
Receives: Behavioral: Murottal Intervention

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) Score

    Change in Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) score from baseline to post-intervention (day 8). The SCARED is a 41-item self-report questionnaire. The total score ranges from 0 to 82. Higher scores indicate a worse outcome (greater anxiety). A cut-off score of ≥25 indicates clinical anxiety.

    Measured: Baseline (Day 0) and Post-intervention (Day 8)

  2. Change in Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) Score

    Change in Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) score from baseline to post-intervention (day 8). The SDSC is a 26-item parent-report questionnaire. The total score ranges from 26 to 130. Higher scores indicate a worse outcome (greater sleep disturbance). A cut-off score of >39 indicates clinically significant sleep disturbance.

    Measured: Baseline (Day 0) and Post-intervention (Day 8)

Secondary outcomes (2)

  1. Change in Categorical Anxiety Status

    Proportion of children transitioning from 'anxious' (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders [SCARED] total score ≥25) to 'not anxious' (SCARED total score <25) after the 7-day intervention. The SCARED total score ranges from 0 to 82, with higher scores indicating a worse outcome (greater anxiety).

    Measured: Baseline (Day 0) and Post-intervention (Day 8)

  2. Change in Categorical Sleep Disturbance Status

    Change in categorical Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) status from baseline to post-intervention (day 8). The SDSC is a 26-item parent-report questionnaire. The total score ranges from 26 to 130. Higher scores indicate a worse outcome (greater sleep disturbance). A cut-off score of >39 indicates clinically significant sleep disturbance.

    Measured: Baseline (Day 0) and Post-intervention (Day 8)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted6 Oct 2026
  2. Study start19 Dec 2025
  3. Primary completion15 May 2026
  4. Study completion15 May 2026

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Parallel assignment, 1:1 allocation ratio. Participants were randomized to either the Murottal intervention group (standard care + nightly Surah Ar-Rahman recitation for 7 days) or the control group (standard care alone).
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
20 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07861477
Sponsor's protocol ID
1459/KEPK/XI/2025
Status last verified
Oct 2026
First submitted
30 Sep 2026
Last updated
9 Oct 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: Individual participant data will not be shared due to the sensitive nature of the data and the vulnerability of the study population (children with hematological malignancies). Participants were assured during the informed consent process that their data would remain confidential and would not be shared with third parties. Additionally, the data contains protected health information that could potentially compromise participant privacy. Requests for data may be considered by the corresponding author only upon reasonable request and with approval from the institutional ethics committee.

Publications

  • Sheikh IN, Roth M, Stavinoha PL. Prevalence of Sleep Disturbances in Pediatric Cancer Patients and Their Diagnosis and Management. Children (Basel). 2021 Nov 29;8(12):1100. doi: 10.3390/children8121100.

    PubMed 34943294

  • Al-Jubouri MBA, Isam SR, Hussein SM, Machuca-Contreras F. Recitation of quran and music to reduce chemotherapy-induced anxiety among adult patients with cancer: A clinical trial. Nurs Open. 2021 Jul;8(4):1606-1614. doi: 10.1002/nop2.781. Epub 2021 Feb 15.

    PubMed 33587831

  • Ghiasi A, Keramat A. The Effect of Listening to Holy Quran Recitation on Anxiety: A Systematic Review. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2018 Nov-Dec;23(6):411-420. doi: 10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_173_17.

    PubMed 30386389

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Murottal Intervention in people with Pediatric Cancer and Hematologic Malignancies, run by Universitas Airlangga at 1 site in Indonesia.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Indonesia. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) Score (time frame: Baseline (Day 0) and Post-intervention (Day 8)). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07861477, which also lists 3 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Oct 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 26 Oct 2026.

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