Music therapy with cancer patients receiving post-hospital curative treatment: satisfaction, emotional perception, perceived effects and working elements - A longitudinal non-experimental mixed methods study

Background Numerous researchers have examined the benefits of music therapy within acute and palliative cancer care. Benefits of music therapy within post-hospital curative cancer treatment remain unclear, although benefits are expected. Whereas music therapy interventions for acute and palliative patients often focus on physiological and psychosomatic symptoms, music therapy with post-hospital curative treatment could have its main focus on psychological aspects. Due to a lack of studies, we examine the benefits of diverse music therapy interventions offered to post-hospital curative cancer patients. The patients’ satisfaction with the interventions is assessed. As previous research found a negative correlation between cancer and emotional expressivity, we assess patients’ ambivalence over emotional expressiveness (AE) before starting music therapy. We also assess patients’ emotional perceptions during music therapy and which emotions help patients to handle their disease. Further, the patients’ perceived effects and working elements of music therapy are assessed. Methods The study has a non-experimental, longitudinal design. Mixed methods (both qualitative and quantitative methods) are used. A total of 86 patients participated in the study, who either attended active music therapy (percussion or improvisation therapy) or receptive music therapy (sound meditation). Both standardized measurement instruments (burden of the disease and ambivalence over emotional expressiveness) and self-designed instruments (questionnaires and interview guideline) are used. Results The sample’s mean age was 55 years (SD= 10). Most of the patients were female (81%) and diagnosed with breast cancer (53%). Most of the patients had no previous experience with music therapy (90%). Patients were satisfied about music therapy. Patients attending sound meditation had significantly lower scores on therapists’ approach, music therapy modalities and total satisfaction. Compared to the norm group, patients had higher AE scores before music therapy started. Most of the patients had positive emotions; they were cheered up and relieved. As well the perception of positive emotions as negative cancer related emotions helped them handling their disease. Patients especially perceived psychological and psychosomatic effects. Perceived psychological and psychosomatic effects were similar within all the three offered music therapy treatments. Patients from all interventions perceived relaxation, rest and increased power and vitality. They also perceived mood improvement, release of positive emotions, distraction from stress and negative cancer-related emotions and an increased self-awareness. Active music therapy increased patients’ self-confidence and stimulated patients to explore new behaviour. A total of 13 working elements were found. Exemplary elements within active music therapy were communication, analogy, freedom from judgement, (physical) activity and cognitive effort. Sound meditation included different elements, such as passivity and atmosphere. Conclusion The results indicate that music therapy can have positive influences on well-being of cancer patients in the post-hospital curative stage. The findings offer valuable information about patients’ needs in this state of treatment and how effects can be addressed within music therapy. Our findings offer valuable guidelines for the implementation and optimization of music therapy within post-hospital curative treatment. The promising results of this study should be proven by future research.