Effect of Music Therapy and Songwriting in Anxiety, Depression and Quality of Life in Cancer Patients and Their Families as Measured by Self-Report

The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of life and anxiety/depression level of cancer patients and their families within a hospital setting. Any patient admitted to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare that met the criteria for this study as determined by the medical personnel, was considered as a potential subject. The music therapy sessions consisted of a song written about the patient and family, live preferred music and counseling to help the patient and family. The experimental and control groups were randomly assigned. The experimental group (N=40), recieved two sessions of music therapy. The first music therapy session was used to gather information that the patient and family wanted to use in the song and also to assess the level of coping. The second music therapy session consisted of giving the patient a copy of the song, and a live performance of the song. The patient and one family member then provided self-report data on the Anxiety/Depression questionnaire, and the Hospice Quality of Life Index questionnaire. One week later, the patient was contacted and asked to fill out the same questionnaires as before and a Songwriting Quesionnaire. The control group (N=40), received one music therapy session consisting of preferred live music and counseling for the patient and family. At the end of each session, the patient and family member completed the Anxiety/Depression questionnaire and the Hospice Quality of Life questionnaire. One week later, the patient was contacted again to complete the same questionnaires as before. The patient Hospice Quality of Life questionnaire showed significantly higher scores for the experimental one-week post session group than the control one-week post session group. The Songwriting Questionnaire filled out only by the experimental subjects, showed a high mean score of 8.5 on a 10 point scale for coping skills.