Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40176020›Full record

ArticleBMC complementary medicine and therapies2025

The impact of group music therapy on anxiety, stress, and wellbeing levels, and chemotherapy-induced side effects for oncology patients and their caregivers during chemotherapy: a retrospective cohort study.

Andrés Salgado-Vasco, Juliana Torres-Morales, Clara Inés Durán-Rojas, Lucy Yolima Beltrán-Sánchez, Moshé Amarillo, Mark Ettenberger

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Andrés Salgado-VascoMusic Therapy Service, Department of Social Management, University Hospital Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Cra. 7 # 117-15, 110121, Bogotá, Colombia.
Juliana Torres-MoralesMusic Therapy Service, Department of Social Management, University Hospital Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Cra. 7 # 117-15, 110121, Bogotá, Colombia.
Clara Inés Durán-RojasCancer Institute Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia.
Lucy Yolima Beltrán-SánchezCancer Institute Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia.
Moshé AmarilloSONO - Centro de Musicoterapia, Bogotá, Colombia.
Mark EttenbergerMusic Therapy Service, Department of Social Management, University Hospital Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Cra. 7 # 117-15, 110121, Bogotá, Colombia. musicoterapia@fsfb.org.co.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionCancer is currently the second most common cause of death worldwide and is often treated with chemotherapy. Music therapy is a widely used adjunct therapy offered in oncology settings to attenuate negative impacts of treatment on patient's physical and mental health; however, music therapy research during chemotherapy is relatively scarce. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of group music therapy sessions with patients and caregivers on their perceived anxiety, stress, and wellbeing levels and the perception of chemotherapy-induced side effects for patients. MATERIALS AND

methodsThis is a retrospective cohort study following the STROBE guidelines. From April to October 2022, 41 group music therapy sessions including 141 patients and 51 caregivers were conducted. Participants filled out pre- and post-intervention Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) assessing their anxiety, stress, and wellbeing levels, and for patients the intensity of chemotherapy-induced side effects.

resultsThe results show a statistically significant decrease of anxiety and stress levels (p < .001), an increase in well-being of patients and caregivers (p < .001, p = .009), and a decrease in patients' perceived intensity of chemotherapy-induced side effects (p = .003). Calculated effect sizes were moderate for anxiety, stress, and well-being levels, and small for chemotherapy-induced side effects. DISCUSSION: This is the first study regarding group music therapy sessions for cancer patients and their caregivers during chemotherapy in Colombia. Music therapy has been found to be a valuable strategy to reduce psychological distress in this population and to provide opportunities for fostering self-care and social interaction.

conclusionsMusic therapy should be considered as a valuable complementary therapy during chemotherapy. However, it is crucial to conduct prospective studies with parallel group designs to confirm these preliminary findings.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsDrug-Related Side Effects and Adverse ReactionsMusic TherapyNeoplasmsStress, PsychologicalAnxietyCaregiversGroup ProcessesHumansPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresPsychological Well-BeingRetrospective StudiesAntineoplastic AgentsAnxietyChemotherapyMental healthMusic therapyStressWellbeing

Identifiers

PMID40176020
PMCPMC11966791

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.