Conventional and Algorithmic Music Listening before Radiotherapy Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Abstract

Music listening is a widespread approach in the field of music therapy. In this study, the effects of music listening on anxiety and stress in patients undergoing radiotherapy are investigated. Sixty patients with breast cancer who were candidates for postoperative curative radiotherapy were recruited and randomly assigned to three groups: Melomics-Health (MH) group (music listening algorithmically created, n = 20); individualized music listening (IML) group (playlist of preferred music, n = 20); no music group (n = 20). Music listening was administered for 15 min immediately before simulation and during the first five radiotherapy sessions. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Psychological Distress Inventory (PDI) were administered before/after treatment. Cochran's Q test and McNemar test for paired proportions were performed to evaluate if the proportion of subjects having an outcome score below the critical value by treatment and over time was different, and if there was a change in that proportion. The MH group improved in STAI and PDI. The IML group worsened in STAI at T1 and improved STAI-Trait at T2. The IML group worsened in PDI at T2. The No music group generally improved in STAI and PDI. Clinical and music listening-related implications are discussed defining possible research perspectives in this field.

Keywords: algorithmic music; anxiety; breast cancer; music listening; music therapy; radiotherapy; stress.

Figure 1

Distribution of patients and drop-outs in no music group, individualised music listening group (IML) and Melomics-Health group (MH) at screening, baseline (T0), end of treatment (T1) and follow-up (T2).

Figure 2

Proportion of patients with a State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI, A,B) or Psychological Distress Inventory (PDI, C) scores below the critical value at baseline (t0), end of treatment (t1) and at follow-up (t2). Cochran’s Q test was used to evaluate if the proportion of patients having an anxiety score below the critical value for the STAI sub-scales and PDI scale changed over time, depending on the treatment. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.