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

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