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Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
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Published on: January 7, 2020

Impact of music on pediatric oncology outpatients

Kathi J Kemper1, Craig A Hamilton, Thomas W McLean

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, USA. kkemper@wfubmc.edu

Pediatric Research
|April 9, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Music listening improved relaxation in pediatric oncology outpatients. However, music did not significantly impact other well-being measures or heart rate variability (HRV) parameters, suggesting further research is needed.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Music Therapy
  • Psychoneuroimmunology

Background:

  • Music is recognized for its potential to enhance psychological well-being.
  • The specific effects of music interventions on pediatric oncology outpatients require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of music on the well-being of pediatric oncology outpatients undergoing maintenance or consolidation treatment.
  • To assess music's effect on subjective measures (relaxation, well-being, vitality, anxiety, stress, depression) and objective measures (heart rate variability).

Main Methods:

  • A within-subjects design was used, with patients serving as their own controls across two visits.
  • At one visit, children rested for 20 minutes; at the other, they listened to music for 20 minutes.
  • Subjective well-being was assessed using visual analog scales (VAS) completed by parents, and objective physiological data (heart rate variability) was collected.

Main Results:

  • Relaxation scores significantly improved with music compared to rest (p < 0.01).
  • A significant decrease was observed in the parasympathetic parameter of heart rate variability (HRV) during music listening compared to rest.
  • No other significant differences were found in subjective or objective measures between the music and rest conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Music listening demonstrated a positive effect on improving relaxation in pediatric oncology outpatients.
  • The observed decrease in parasympathetic HRV warrants further investigation.
  • Additional research is necessary to clarify the relationship between subjective and objective well-being indicators in this patient population, especially those not experiencing severe distress.

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