Newborn hearing screening (NHS) is a standard procedure that often triggers acute anxiety in parents. While Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) has demonstrated efficacy in reducing psychological distress across various clinical settings, its specific application to parental anxiety during the neonatal screening period remains under-researched. This study addresses this gap by investigating the impact of a targeted EFT intervention on anxiety levels in mothers awaiting their newborns' first hearing tests.

The primary objective is to determine if a brief, 15-minute EFT session reduces maternal anxiety more effectively than a standard waiting period. Participants are randomly assigned to either an intervention group, where they perform a structured acupoint tapping sequence, or a control group that receives no active intervention. Anxiety is assessed using validated scales immediately before and after the 15-minute period to capture acute changes in distress. The researchers hypothesize that applying EFT regarding the procedure will significantly reduce parental anxiety levels compared to the non-intervention group.

Study Design and Randomization: This prospective, controlled experimental study utilizes a pretest-posttest design to evaluate the effects of the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) on parental anxiety. A total of 70 eligible parents will be recruited from the Newborn Hearing Screening (NHS) Units of two public hospitals. Participants will be assigned to either the EFT intervention group (n=35) or a non-intervention control group (n=35) using stratified block randomization with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Stratification is performed based on baseline state anxiety levels to ensure balanced distribution between the study arms.

Procedural Standardization and Participant Management: To maintain internal validity and ensure the stability of pre-procedural anxiety measurements, specific situational controls are implemented. Participants are excluded if acute situational triggers-such as neonatal crying or breastfeeding-occur immediately before or during the intervention period. To minimize external distractions and allow the participant to focus entirely on the protocol, relatives provide care for the neonates during the 30-35 minute study duration.

Intervention Protocols

• EFT Group: Participants receive a 15-minute guided session led by a certified practitioner. The session begins with the "Karate Chop" point setup, where the participant repeats a specific acceptance sentence three times. This is followed by sequential tapping (approximately seven times per point) on twelve designated acupoints: the beginning of the eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, the chin, collarbone, under the armpit, thumb, index finger, middle finger, little finger, and the Karate Chop point. Multiple tapping rounds are completed within the 15-minute timeframe.
• Control Group: Participants undergo identical pre-test assessments but remain in a designated waiting area for 15 minutes without any active intervention, guidance, or therapeutic contact.

Data Collection and Measurement: Baseline assessments (Pre-tests) include a Parental Information Form, the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Post-test assessments (SUDS and STAI) are administered to both groups immediately following the 15-minute intervention or waiting period. The STAI evaluates both situational (state) and general (trait) anxiety on a scale ranging from 20 to 80, while the SUDS provides a subjective distress rating from 0 to 10.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Parents of neonates who are undergoing the newborn hearing screening (NHS) for the first time.
• Ability to communicate effectively in the native language without language barriers.
• No prior experience or training in applying the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).
• Voluntary agreement to participate in the study and completion of the informed consent form.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Known history of diagnosed psychiatric disorders or epilepsy.
• Situations where the neonate is crying or being breastfed immediately prior to the intervention or during the assessment.
• The scheduled hearing screening procedure is initiated before the 30-35-minute study protocol is completed.
• Occurrence of any acute situational triggers or environmental distractions that may interfere with the stability of anxiety measurements.

Individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this study, after de-identification (text, tables, figures, and appendices), will be shared with researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal. The primary objective is to allow for secondary analyses that align with the original research goals. All data sharing will be conducted in strict accordance with the participant confidentiality protections outlined in the Informed Consent Form. A formal Data Use Agreement (DUA) must be signed before any data transfer occurs.

Data will be made available beginning 6 months after the publication of the primary results and will remain accessible for a period of 3 years.

Data access requests should be submitted via email to [sumeyraalan@ibu.edu.tr]. Proposals will be reviewed for scientific merit. Requestors must demonstrate that they have obtained necessary institutional ethical approvals and must agree to use the data only for the purposes specified in their approved proposal.