Music for Wellness: An 8-Week Study of the Psychosocial Effects of Music Therapy on Cancer Patients

Background: Music therapy offers patients a way to address the psycho-social impacts of a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Research suggests that complementary therapies, such as music and art therapy, provide an opportunity for patients to express their emotions and make meaning of their experiences, as well as providing social connections to other patients. A better understanding of the specific benefits that may be achieved from these programs and the mechanism through which this might occur will help us better tailor services to patients' needs. While an increasing number of cancer care centers now offer complementary therapies as a way to support patients with cancer, there are few prospective evaluations that examine the benefits derived from program completion beyond patient satisfaction measures. Aim: The aim of this project is to examine the impact of music therapy on specific patient reported outcomes and the factors that influence how and why this occurs. Methods: Participants in an 8-week group music therapy program will be asked to complete a suite of measures prior to program commencement, and at 1-week and 1-month postprogram completion. Measures include core constructs of well-being such as distress, quality of life and symptom severity, as well as constructs specifically targeted by the music therapy program, such as meaning making, emotional expression and social connectedness. A waitlist control will provide comparison data at comparable time-points. Results: The music therapy program will run from April-May 2018, with the postprogram evaluation being completed in June 2018. Preliminary data will be presented and the suitability of this method will be considered. Conclusion: In the context of a comprehensive cancer center in Victoria, Australia, we will present data on the effectiveness of a music therapy program for addressing patients' well-being. We will discuss implications for the provision of supportive care for cancer patients and survivors and how the design of future programs might be tailored to achieve key outcomes.