Effects of music on patient anxiety - Research

AORN Journal,  Feb, 2003  by Esther Mok,  Kwai-Yiu Wong

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In a carefully designed study on the effects of music, 121 patients undergoing cataract surgery as outpatients were allocated randomly into three groups. Patients in the first group heard relaxing suggestions, patients in the second group heard white noise and OR noise, and patients in the third group heard relaxing music. Patients in the group listening to relaxing music were found to be more satisfied than patients in the group listening to relaxing suggestions. Patients in the group who heard the white noise and OR noise were found to be the least satisfied, but there was no concomitant reduction in levels of anxiety among members of the three groups. (12)

In another study, 43 subjects were allocated randomly to an experimental group or a control group who received verbal distraction. (13) Patients in the experimental group listened to music from the time their skin was prepped until the time when incision dressings were applied. There were no significant differences in anxiety between patients in the control and experimental groups. Anxiety was significantly reduced in both groups, and although music decreased blood pressure, distraction did not.

One researcher has found that a single music therapy session was effective for decreasing anxiety and promoting relaxation, as indicated by decreases in heart and respiratory rates during the intervention period in patients receiving ventilatory assistance. (14) Another study by the same researcher found that music intervention is effective in allaying anxiety and promoting comfort in patients undergoing flexible sigmoidoscopy. Sixty-four subjects were assigned randomly to a control group receiving typical procedural care or an experimental group receiving music therapy during examination. State and trait anxieties were measured during pretesting. State anxiety is a transitory state, which occurs in response to a stimulus and is likely to vary in intensity as a function of the stimulus. Trait anxiety is related to anxiety proneness, which is a relatively unfluctuating condition of an individual. State anxiety, discomfort, satisfaction, and perceived compliance with future screening were measured after the procedure. Subjects in the music group reported less anxiety and discomfort than subjects in the control group. There were no differences in satisfaction ratings or perceived compliance with screening guidelines. (15)

In a randomized clinical trial of patients undergoing fiber-optic bronchoscopy that used pretests and posttests, researchers found no significant differences in the state and trait anxiety scores between the control (ie, no music) and experimental group (ie, relaxing music through headphones). Patients receiving anxiolytic medication, however, demonstrated clinically significant reductions in state anxiety compared to patients who did not receive medication?

The previously mentioned findings are difficult to summarize because no clear pattern appears. Some of the differences in the findings can be attributed to the variation in methodologies used by the researchers, personal preferences when selecting music for patients, and the presence of confounding variables. In general, the research seems to indicate that there often appears to be positive changes in physiological variables measured, although these changes are not consistent nor are they always statistically significant.