Studying music effect on children's stress following chemotherapy: A randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Due to adverse effects of cancer on children's mental health, relaxation, chemotherapy side-effectsand positive effects of music therapy on stress, this study was performed with the goal to determine the effect of music therapyon children's stress after chemotherapy.Methods: The present study is a randomized clinical trial done on 32 children undergoing cancer chemotherapy in Bu-AliSina hospital in Sari in the 2012-2013. By convenience sampling method and then allocation, they were randomly divided intotwo groups (16 people) as control and experimental. The data included the demographic questionnaires and self-assessmentquestionnaire stress of Sharrer -Wenger. In the intervention group, after recounting how to perform music for the child andthe mother and select the songs chosen by the child for 20 minutes, half an hour before and after starting and completingchemotherapy, based on child's bearing, the was music of relaxing sounds of nature and the music for children was played. Inthe test group, the stress questionnaire was executed before and after music therapy before chemotherapy and after the treatmentcourse. In the control group, before starting chemotherapy and after a course of chemotherapy treatment, the questionnaire wascompleted. The data was analyzed using statistical software SPSS 18 and the t-test and ANOVA with repeated measures andPearson correlation.Results: No Significant difference was found between the control and experimental stress scores in the two groups (after a musictherapy session) before chemotherapy (p=0/240), but after chemotherapy, the average stress score in the experimental group, afterthe music therapy was significantly lower, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0/000).Conclusion: Due to a substantial reduction in stress scores of music therapy in children undergoing chemotherapy, the musictherapy can be an effective intervention for reducing stress and helping the children to better cope with life after being afflictedby cancer.