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Music Therapy May Help Teens With Cancer Manage

Article
Behavioral & Mental Health
Kids' Zone
+3
Contributed byMaulik P. Purohit MD MPHMay 07, 2018

A study from Indiana University found that adolescents and young adults who participated in a music therapy during cancer treatment increased their ability to cope and enhanced their resilience. The activities in the music therapy program included writing song lyrics and producing videos.

"The kids are usually very sick during stem cell transplants. They require a lot of supportive care. Depending on the type of transplant, up to 50 percent of these kids undergoing stem cell transplant don't survive, so being able to say how they feel about that is important," said study co-author Joan Haase, a professor of pediatric oncology nursing at the Indiana University School of Nursing.

Published in the journal Cancer, 113 patients, aged 11 to 24, who were undergoing stem cell transplants were randomly assigned into either a therapeutic music video-making group or a comparison group which the patients received audio books. The experiment occurred in six sessions over three weeks.

The researchers released a statement, “[The] intervention was designed to help adolescents and young adults explore and express thoughts and emotions about their disease and treatment that might otherwise go unspoken. Through the creative process of writing song lyrics and producing videos, a board-certified music therapist offers structure and support to help patients reflect on their experiences and identify what is important to them, such as their spirituality, family, and relationships with peers and health care providers.”

Music therapists encourage their patients to dig into their more meaningful moments of their lives, including their spirituality, family and other relationships, study lead author Sheri Robb, an associate professor at Indiana University School of Nursing explained. Patients were allowed to work independently or with family, friends, and healthcare providers.

Shawna Grissom, director of child life at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, says the study confirms why St. Jude relies on music therapy to help teens. "Just because they have language skills, it's easy to assume adolescents and young adults can verbally express themselves, but that's not always true," Grissom said. "Making music videos allows these patients to project their feelings through another outlet. It gives them a sense of control, a medium in which they can express themselves."

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Maulik P. Purohit MD MPH

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