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- Title
Music Therapy Support Groups for Cancer Patients and Caregivers: A Mixed-Methods Approach.
- Authors
Dvorak, Abbey L.
- Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of music therapy support groups (MTSG) on physical, psychological, and social functioning of cancer patients and caregivers. A mixed-methods approach was used, including an experimental, randomized, controlled trial and qualitative data from participant comments. Participants were 24 cancer patients and 17 caregivers randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. Experimental participants attended six 60-minute MTSG sessions over a three-week period. Music therapy interventions included singing, songwriting, playing instruments, music-assisted relaxation, movement with music, creative arts with music, and music listening with discussion. All participants completed standardized questionnaires at baseline, midpoint, and at the end of three weeks; experimental participants also completed pre- and post-numerical rating scales to assess individual session effects. The experimental group had statistically significant improvement in mood (p < .0002) and decrease in anxiety (p < .0300) as a result of overall MTSG participation. The experimental group demonstrated statistically significant changes pre- to post-session in (a) pain in three sessions; (b) mood, stress, and anxiety in all six sessions; and (c) quality of life in two sessions. It was evident that cancer patients and caregivers benefited from MTSG participation and demonstrated improvement in biopsychosocial functioning.
- Subjects
AFFECT (Psychology); ANALYSIS of variance; ANXIETY; CANCER patients; CAREGIVERS; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL protocols; MUSIC therapy; PSYCHOLOGICAL tests; QUESTIONNAIRES; SUPPORT groups; SOCIAL networks; PSYCHOLOGICAL stress; SOCIAL support; RANDOMIZED controlled trials; REPEATED measures design; DATA analysis software; DESCRIPTIVE statistics
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Music Therapy, 2015, Vol 21, Issue 1, p69
- ISSN
1199-1054
- Publication type
Article