The Impact of Music Therapy in a Pediatric Oncology Setting: An Italian Observational Network Study

Abstract

Background: Music Therapy (MT) is a non-pharmacological, art-based intervention that employs music experiences within a therapeutic alliance to attend to clients’ physical, emotional, cognitive, and social requirements. This is the first study aiming at investigating the impact of MT on the psychological facets of children suffering from cancer. Methods: The study, combining the AQR and m-YPAS assessment tools, evaluated behavioral, sound–musical, and interactive parameters in pediatric oncology patients undergoing MT sessions during hospitalization. Fifty patients admitted to the Paediatric Oncology and Haematology Unit at Policlinico S. Orsola Hospital in Bologna, Italy, were enrolled, irrespective of their treatment regimen. Data collection occurred on the first day of the MT session between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., with observations conducted by independent observers. In addition to traditional statistical analysis, network analysis was used to explore the combined interactions of all parameters, effectively discerning the distinctive roles played by each one during therapy sessions and their influence on all others. Results: Network analysis highlighted distinct patterns of interactions among parameters during the various sessions, emphasizing the role of positive emotions and a calm setting, the child’s ability to take the initiative in sessions, their sense of agency, and the parent’s role in guiding them. Significant differences were recorded at each time point between all variables considered. Conclusions: The results of this innovative study may pave the way for future multicenter studies aimed at further exploring the role of MT in children undergoing both curative and palliative treatments for cancer.