*2.4. Measures*

2.4.1. Clinical and Demographic Information

Clinical and demographic variables assessed in this study included age, parity (primiparas vs. multiparas), duration of labor, and the Apgar index.

**Figure 1.** CONSORT diagram of study participants in control and intervention groups. **Figure 1.** CONSORT diagram of study participants in control and intervention groups.

#### *2.4. Measures*  2.4.2. Anxiety

2.4.1. Clinical and Demographic Information Clinical and demographic variables assessed in this study included age, parity (pri-Anxiety was assessed through two measures: the Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A [29]; Italian adaption by Facco et al. [30]) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI-Y [31]; Italian adaption by Pedrabissi and Santinello [32]).

miparas vs. multiparas), duration of labor, and the Apgar index. 2.4.2. Anxiety Anxiety was assessed through two measures: the Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A [29]; Italian adaption by Facco et al. [30]) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI-Y [31]; Italian adaption by Pedrabissi and Santinello [32]). VAS-A is a measure assessing perceived levels of anxiety which is particularly effec-VAS-A is a measure assessing perceived levels of anxiety which is particularly effective in those situations where answering many questions may be burdensome for participants, as well as it is for women during labor. The VAS-A is a line 10 centimeters in length with zero representing "not at all anxious" and 10 "very anxious". Participants are asked to mark their subjective anxious status on a visual scale by putting a cross. Different studies demonstrated the validity of the VAS-A (for a review, see Rossi and Pourtois [33]). VAS-A was assessed during latent, early active, and late active phases of labor.

tive in those situations where answering many questions may be burdensome for participants, as well as it is for women during labor. The VAS-A is a line 10 centimeters in length with zero representing "not at all anxious" and 10 "very anxious." Participants are asked to mark their subjective anxious status on a visual scale by putting a cross. Different studies demonstrated the validity of the VAS-A (for a review, see Rossi and Pourtois [33]). VAS-A was assessed during latent, early active, and late active phases of labor. STAI-Y is a measure consisting of 20 items that assess transitory feelings of tension, worry, and nervousness at a given moment. The answer options range from 1 ("not at all") to 4 ("very much so"), with higher scores indicating greater state anxiety. In our sample the values of Cronbach's alpha at the moment of the recruitment and immediately after the birth were 0.81 and 0.80, respectively. This measure was administered at the moment of the recruitment (i.e., before the childbirth), and immediately after the childbirth.

#### STAI-Y is a measure consisting of 20 items that assess transitory feelings of tension, worry, and nervousness at a given moment. The answer options range from 1 ("not at 2.4.3. Pain Intensity

all") to 4 ("very much so"), with higher scores indicating greater state anxiety. In our sample the values of Cronbach's alpha at the moment of the recruitment and immediately after the birth were 0.81 and 0.80, respectively. This measure was administered at the moment of the recruitment (i.e., before the childbirth), and immediately after the childbirth. 2.4.3. Pain Intensity Pain was assessed through the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS [34]; Italian adaptation Pain was assessed through the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS [34]; Italian adaptation by De Benedittis et al. [35]), a widely used scale assessing the perceived intensity of pain. The VAS is a continuous unidimensional scale comprised of a horizontal line 10 centimeters in length with zero representing "no pain" and 10 "worst pain". Participants are asked to mark their perceived pain intensity on a visual scale by putting a cross. Different studies demonstrated the validity of the VAS (for a review, see Bijur et al. [36]). As the VAS-A, even the pain VAS was assessed during latent, early active, and late active phases of labor.

by De Benedittis et al. [35]), a widely used scale assessing the perceived intensity of pain. The VAS is a continuous unidimensional scale comprised of a horizontal line 10
