MustRa—Music therapy for children and youths undergoing radiation therapy: An exploratory pilot study

Radiation therapy can be challenging for children and youths, regarding medical and psychosocial aspects. Music therapy is increasingly recognized as effective and appreciated biopsychosocial support in medical settings, but music therapy in pediatric radiation oncology is sparse. This exploratory pilot study aimed to explore possibilities and experiences of a music therapy service for children and youths undergoing radiation therapy. The study included quantitative and qualitative data; patients’ and parents’ self-reported scores on satisfaction with music therapy, interdisciplinary experiences and collective reflections obtained through focus group interviews, and the distribution of predicted and actual use of anesthesia for the patients during treatment. Descriptive statistics were used to report on numeric and categorical variables, and qualitative content analysis was used for the interviews. The results showed that patients and parents were highly satisfied, and more patients than predicted completed the treatment without anesthesia. Important factors were identified regarding the psychosocial assessment of patient needs, timing, interdisciplinary collaboration, and possible redistribution of resources. The study demonstrated that music therapy was well received by the patients and likely had a positive impact on the overall treatment quality. Including music therapist in interdisciplinary teams may positively impact individual adaptation of treatment and the use of resources.