Nightingale, C.L., Rodriguez, C., & Carnaby, G. (2013). The impact of music interventions on anxiety for adult cancer patients: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Integrative Cancer Therapies.
To clarify the effect of music interventions on anxiety for adult patients with cancer from rigorously conducted studies
TYPE OF STUDY: Meta-analysis and systematic review
Patients were undergoing active antitumor treatment.
Length of the intervention varied substantially from 5 minutes to 4 hours. There was high variability in the number of sessions delivered. Most studies examined a single intervention with immediate pre and post anxiety measurement. Three delivered live music, 1 involved a music therapist, and 11 involved listening to music via headphones. Meta-analysis showed no significant difference between the music intervention and controls (SMD = -0.003 (95% CI -0.51, 0.52).
Meta-analysis showed no significant effect of music interventions on anxiety in adults with cancer.
Results of this analysis do not support an effect of music interventions on anxiety in adults with cancer.