Effectiveness of subliminal audio messages on depression and anxiety in women with hypertension: a quasi-experimental study
Social Determinants of Health,
Vol. 11 (2025),
1 January 2025
,
Page 1-9
https://doi.org/10.22037/sdh.v11i1.48724
Abstract
Background: Subliminal messages (auditory sub-threshold stimuli) are hidden messages embedded within musical notes that the conscious mind cannot perceive. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of subliminal audio in reducing depression and anxiety in women with hypertension, with the goal of providing a foundation for future interventions and physiological evidence supporting sub-threshold perception.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted using purposive sampling on 30 hypertensive female patients who referred to Seyed-al-Shohada Hospital in Urmia, Iran. Participants were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. After the pre-test, the intervention group listened to a subliminal audio file for 20 minutes daily over a six-week period. Depression and anxiety levels were assessed and compared before and after the intervention in both groups using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; scores ranging from 13 to 63) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI; scores ranging from 7 to 63).
Results: The intervention group showed a significant reduction in depression and anxiety scores following the six-week exposure to subliminal audio messages. Depression scores decreased from a mean of 29.13 (SD = 6.82) in the pre-test to 23.73 (SD = 6.76) in the post-test. Similarly, anxiety scores reduced from 17.6 (SD = 6.04) to 15.6 (SD = 7.20). In contrast, the control group exhibited no significant changes in either variable. ANCOVA results confirmed that the reduction in depression (F = 7.536, p = 0.011, η² = 0.218) and anxiety (F = 5.316, p = 0.029, η² = 0.165) in the intervention group remained statistically significant even after controlling for pre-test scores, indicating a moderate and clinically meaningful effect of the intervention.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that subliminal audio messages can be an effective non-pharmacological intervention for reducing depression and anxiety in patients with cardiovascular diseases.
- Anxiety
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Depression
- Hypertension
- Subliminal Stimulation
How to Cite
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