Rhythmic Entrainment: A Music Therapy Intervention to Elicit Relaxation and Decrease Anxiety Prior To Diagnostic Imaging

3024 Objectives: The objective of this study is to evaluate a single case study of a participant in the Music Therapy in Medical Imaging study. Music therapy has been studied with a variety of patient diagnoses, but little has been done to study music therapy sessions in conjunction with diagnostic imaging. Music therapy is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. It may be employed in the medical model to increase patient relaxation, decrease anxiety, and address various types of suffering. The case study will address the biometrics and therapeutic measurements used in conjunction with the music intervention and how these related to this participant’s anxiety during a medical imaging study. Rhythmic entrainment (the process in which two or more independent rhythmic processes synchronize with each other) is utilized in this study and is emerging as an effective music therapy intervention to decrease anxiety levels by attempting to synchronize the patient’s biorhythms (such as heart rate) to live music set to a resting tempo (i.e. 50-72 beats per minute). The study evaluation includes the results from a pre and post therapy State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The STAI is a psychological inventory based on a 4-point Likert scale and consists of 40 questions on a self-report basis. The STAI differentiates between the temporary condition of "state anxiety" and the long-standing quality of "trait anxiety." The essential qualities evaluated by the STAI scale are feelings of apprehension, tension, nervousness, stress, and worry. Average scores for working, male adults are 35.72 (state) and 34.89 (trait). Average scores for working, female adults are 35.20 (state) and 34.79 (trait). The higher the number on the STAI, the higher the anxiety for the “state” or “trait” for that individual. Methods: Mr. H is a 52-year-old patient diagnosed with multiple myeloma who participated in a 30-minute music therapy session to experience a decrease in anxiety levels and an increase in relaxation immediately prior to an 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging study. To achieve these goals, the music therapist utilized rhythmic entrainment paired with patient-preferred, live music. Mr. H actively participated in the session by attending to the task and following the music therapist’s suggestions for comfortable posture during the intervention. Results: The music therapy session allowed Mr. H to experience an increase in relaxation and a decrease in anxiety levels, as evidenced by pre- and post-session measurements and objective observations. Pre-session measurements were: 110/66 (blood pressure), 65 (heart rate), and 54 (state portion of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). Post-session measurements were: 100/56 (blood pressure), 50 (pulse), and 51 (state portion of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). Objective observations included Mr. H closing his eyes, ceasing fidgeting, and relaxing facial muscles during the intervention. These objective observations and pre/post session measurements demonstrate the effectiveness of the music therapy intervention. Conclusions: Rhythmic entrainment can be a useful music therapy intervention for individuals prior to diagnostic imaging to assist with eliciting a relaxation response and decreasing anxiety levels. In addition to examining single cases, the study team is conducting a quantitative study to provide ongoing data regarding the possible benefits of rhythmic entrainment prior to diagnostic imaging.