<![CDATA[Academic-related perceived stress among adolescents is an escalating concern, particularly within Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) where students balance academic and religious demands. This study examined posttest differences in academic-related perceived stress between students exposed to a morning Qur’anic recitation audio program and those following regular school routines. A static group comparison design was employed involving 40 Madrasah Tsanawiyah students aged 12–15 years, divided equally into an experimental group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). The experimental group was exposed to Qur’anic recitation audio for 15–30 minutes each morning for 14 consecutive days as part of their school routine, while the control group continued regular activities. Academic-related perceived stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale–10 (PSS-10). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Welch’s t-test due toheteroscedasticity. Students exposed to Qur’anic recitation audio demonstrated lower posttest academic-related perceived stress scores (M = 18.90, SD = 3.11) than the control group (M = 21.05, SD = 4.24). However, this difference was not statistically significant, t(34.41) = −1.83, p = .076, despite a moderate effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.58). The novelty of this study lies in examining academic-related perceived stress among pesantren adolescents and evaluating Qur’anic recitation audio as a naturalistic, culturally embedded relaxation strategy. This study contributes to Islamic psychology and school-based mental health literature by integrating stress-and-coping theory, auditory relaxation, and religious meaning-making. The findings imply that Qur’anic recitation audio may be a feasible, low-cost, and culturally appropriate complementary strategy for supporting students’ emotional readiness and stress management.]]>
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