Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Jun:38:24-41.
doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2018.02.008. Epub 2018 Mar 7.

Reporting quality of music intervention research in healthcare: A systematic review

Sheri L Robb  1 , Deanna Hanson-Abromeit  2 , Lindsey May  1 , Eugenia Hernandez-Ruiz  2 , Megan Allison  2 , Alyssa Beloat  1 , Sarah Daugherty  1 , Rebecca Kurtz  2 , Alyssa Ott  2 , Oladele Oladimeji Oyedele  1 , Shelbi Polasik  2 , Allison Rager  1 , Jamie Rifkin  2 , Emily Wolf  1
Affiliations

Reporting quality of music intervention research in healthcare: A systematic review

Sheri L Robb et al. Complement Ther Med. 2018 Jun.

Abstract

Introduction: Concomitant with the growth of music intervention research, are concerns about inadequate intervention reporting and inconsistent terminology, which limits validity, replicability, and clinical application of findings.

Objective: Examine reporting quality of music intervention research, in chronic and acute medical settings, using the Checklist for Reporting Music-based Interventions. In addition, describe patient populations and primary outcomes, intervention content and corresponding interventionist qualifications, and terminology.

Methods: Searching MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, HealthSTAR, and PsycINFO we identified articles meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria for a five-year period (2010-2015) and extracted relevant data. Coded material included reporting quality across seven areas (theory, content, delivery schedule, interventionist qualifications, treatment fidelity, setting, unit of delivery), author/journal information, patient population/outcomes, and terminology.

Results: Of 860 articles, 187 met review criteria (128 experimental; 59 quasi-experimental), with 121 publishing journals, and authors from 31 countries. Overall reporting quality was poor with <50% providing information for four of the seven checklist components (theory, interventionist qualifications, treatment fidelity, setting). Intervention content reporting was also poor with <50% providing information about the music used, decibel levels/volume controls, or materials. Credentialed music therapists and registered nurses delivered most interventions, with clear differences in content and delivery. Terminology was varied and inconsistent.

Conclusions: Problems with reporting quality impedes meaningful interpretation and cross-study comparisons. Inconsistent and misapplied terminology also create barriers to interprofessional communication and translation of findings to patient care. Improved reporting quality and creation of shared language will advance scientific rigor and clinical relevance of music intervention research.

Keywords: Intervention; Music; Music therapy; Reporting quality; Systematic review.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flow diagram
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

Appendix C. Reference list for reviewed studies

    1. Abd-Elshafy SK, Khalaf GS, Abo-Kerisha MZ, Ahmed NT, Abd El-Aziz MA, Mohamed MA. Not All Sounds Have Negative Effects on Children Undergoing Cardiac Surgery. Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia. 2015;29(5):1277–84. - PubMed
    1. Abraham A, Drory VE. Listening to music during electromyography does not influence the examinee’s anxiety and pain levels. Muscle & Nerve. 2014;50(3):445–7. doi: 10.1002/mus.24291. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Alipour Z, Eskandari N, Ahmari Tehran H, Eshagh Hossaini SK, Sangi S. Effects of music on physiological and behavioral responses of premature infants: a randomized controlled trial. Complementary Therapies In Clinical Practice. 2013;19(3):128–32. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2013.02.007. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Allred KD, Byers JF, Sole ML. The effect of music on postoperative pain and anxiety. Pain Management Nursing: Official Journal Of The American Society Of Pain Management Nurses. 2010;11(1):15–25. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2008.12.002. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Amengual JL, Rojo N, Veciana de Las Heras M, Marco-Pallarés J, Grau-Sánchez J, Schneider S, et al. Sensorimotor plasticity after music-supported therapy in chronic stroke patients revealed by transcranial magnetic stimulation. Plos One. 2013;8(4):e61883. -e. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061883. - PMC - PubMed

References

    1. Collins FS, Fleming R. Sound Health: An NIH-Kennedy Center Initiative to Explore Music and the Mind. Jama. 2017;317(24):2470–1. doi: 10.1001/jama.2017.7423. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bradt J, Dileo C. Music interventions for mechanically ventilated patients. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2014;(12):CD006902. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006902.pub3. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bradt J, Dileo C, Magill L, Teague A. Music interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes in cancer patients. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2016;(8):CD006911. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006911.pub3. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Fuller T, Peters J, Pearson M, Anderson R. Impact of the transparent reporting of evaluations with nonrandomized designs reporting guideline: ten years on. Am J Public Health. 2014;104(11):e110–7. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302195. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Geretsegger M, Mossler KA, Bieleninik L, Chen XJ, Heldal TO, Gold C. Music therapy for people with schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like disorders. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2017;5:CD004025. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004025.pub4. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types