Exploring expectations of music interventions in pulmonary rehabilitation: a cross-sectional survey protocol

Music interventions by listening to recorded music have been associated with the alleviation of breathlessness and the improvement of physical outcomes in the context of pulmonary rehabilitation. Results of these studies, however, should be interpreted carefully since study protocols have been heterogeneous and findings inconsistent. Studies are subject to selection bias and the effect of music interventions is assumed to depend partly on a placebo effect, increasing effectiveness when pre-treatment expectations are higher. In combination with low costs and negligible side effects, implementation of music interventions would be feasible, but they have not been structurally implemented in pulmonary rehabilitation settings yet. Before making efforts on implementing an appropriate music intervention, current use, demands and treatment expectations on music interventions of the target population and their healthcare professionals are to be explored. This study aims to explore the current use of music interventions among patients enrolled in pulmonary rehabilitation and gain insight into the expectations of patients and their caregivers regarding its effect on breathlessness and exercise tolerance.

This paper describes the protocol for a cross-sectional survey consisting of a single questionnaire among patients and their healthcare professionals. The questionnaire into expectations regarding music interventions was developed and validated through a systematic and iterative process. After data collection, descriptive statistics will be performed. Cronbach's alpha will be calculated to measure the questionnaire's internal consistency. Correlation analysis will be performed between baseline characteristics and level of expectation for music interventions.

This study received approval of the institutional review board of the Erasmus Medical Center, The Netherlands (reference number MEC-2025-0703). Results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed scientific publication, and raw data will be made available on reasonable request to support implementation.