Music-based interventions and maternal mental health in the postpartum period: A mixed-studies systematic review
Shefaly Shorey1, John Chee Meng Wong2, Darius Lim3
1Alice Lee Center for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Background:
The transition to motherhood can be stressful. Music-based intervention can help alleviate stress. However, it is underexplored in this field.
Objective:
We aimed to consolidate and synthesize findings on the available evidence of music-based interventions and maternal mental health among women with healthy term infants in the postpartum period.
Search Strategy:
This is a mixed-studies systematic review. The search strategy included PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Dissertations from inception to April 2022.
Selection Criteria:
Women with healthy-term infants were included. Phenomena of interest include the experiences of music-based intervention that can be classified into two categories: Active intervention (e.g., creating music, playing an instrument, singing, or musical improvisation), or receptive intervention (e.g., listening to music).
Data Collection And Analysis:
Thematic synthesis was conducted. Studies were appraised using the mixed method appraisal tool.
Main Results:
Eleven articles were included. Thematic synthesis identified an overarching theme as "Music-a lifeline to better maternal mental health." This was pillared by three themes: (1) Psycho-social impact of music-based interventions, (2) influences of music on mother-infant relationships, and (3) the way forward for music-based interventions. Music-based interventions have mixed influences on symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety. However, they can alleviate maternal mood, increase the sense of accomplishment, and strengthen mother-infant attachment. This is especially so for group-based and active music-making interventions. Future studies should include the theoretical rationale for choosing the type and mode of music-based interventions. Future research with standardized intervention, population, outcome measures, mode, and place of intervention delivery is needed to ascertain the effects of music-based interventions.
Conclusions:
Overall, music-based intervention can be an accessible and convenient way to strengthen mother-infant bonding, maternal mood, and sense of accomplishment among women with healthy-term infants.
More Related Videos
11:50Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Published on: January 7, 2020
06:39Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
