The impact of Islamic religious education on anxiety level in primipara mothers

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is among the most common pregnancy complications. This study was conducted to examine the impact of religious teaching on anxiety in primiparous mothers referring to the selected perinatal clinics of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2013. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on the pregnant women in 20–28 weeks of gestation referring to the selected clinics of Tehran University of Medical Sciences from July 2013 to June 2014. The subjects were selected through simple random sampling and divided into religious education and control groups. To assess the individuals, a demographic questionnaire, an anxiety trait State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and a religious knowledge and attitude trait (pre- test and post-test and 1 or 2 months after the test) were filled in by the two groups. Training classes (religious knowledge and attitude trait) for the cases were held in 6 weeks, and the sessions lasted for 1½ h. RESULTS: The knowledge and attitude scores showed significant differences in the controls and cases after the intervention (P = 0.001) and 2 months after the study (P = 0.001). According to the results of independent t-test, a significant difference was found in the state anxiety score (P = 0.002) and personal score (P = 0.0197) between the two groups before the intervention; however, the results were strongly significant different after the intervention and 2 months after the study (P ≤ 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The improvement in the mothers’ knowledge and attitude in religious subjects will reduce anxiety in primiparas.