Songwriting and digital video production interventions for pediatric patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation, part II: an analysis of patient-generated songs and patient perceptions regarding intervention efficacy

Abstract

Part I of this exploratory case study examined patient anxiety levels and depressive symptoms according to phase of bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The second part of this study examines more qualitative outcomes of the music therapy intervention. Purposes of this part of the study included: (1) to examine the lyrical content of patient-generated songs and (2) to compare patient perceptions regarding the effectiveness of a 6-week music condition with a no-music contact condition. Six pediatric BMT patients participated in the study. Three participants experienced the music condition and three participants experienced the no-music contact condition. Both conditions consisted of six, 1-hour sessions that occurred over a 3-week period. Content analysis of patient-generated songs revealed expression of issues related to the following themes: hope, positive coping, appreciation, mental status, control, time, bewilderment, treatment, and diagnosis. Examination of patient-generated songs provided insight into each patient's experience with transplantation and the coping strategies used during treatment. Outcomes from a poststudy questionnaire are summarized.