Music Is Life-Follow-Up Qualitative Study on Parental Experiences of Creative Music Therapy in the Neonatal Period

Music Therapy with Preterm Infants and Their Families after Hospital Discharge: An Integrative Review

After discharge from a neonatal unit, families of preterm infants may require therapeutic support to address challenges related to their infant/s' development, changed family circumstances, and/or parent wellbeing. This integrative review (IR) sought to examine the impact of music therapy on preterm infants and their families post-hospital discharge. A systematic search encompassing seven databases resulted in 83 citations, with six studies initially meeting the inclusion criteria. A further six studies were evaluated and selected upon their publication during the review process. Each study was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), followed by the identification of major themes and sub-themes. Our results suggest that music therapy contributed to creating supportive physical and metaphorical environments for preterm infants and their families, in which they could acquire essential skills, tools, and resources for fostering communication and connection with one another. Preterm infants and toddlers may have also enhanced their developmental skills through music therapy sessions post-discharge. Further investigation into the impact of music therapy on preterm infants and their caregivers at different timepoints after hospital discharge is recommended, as well as a comparison of individual and group music therapy outcomes on infant development and parent health. Future research should include a broader spectrum of family members, along with caregivers from diverse family structures and gender identities, reflecting practices already established in some clinical settings.

Creative music therapy for long-term neurodevelopment in extremely preterm infants: Results of a feasibility trial

AIM

We tested the feasibility of a future randomised clinical trial (RCT) in which Creative Music Therapy (CMT), a family-integrating individualised approach in neonatal care, could improve neurodevelopment in extremely preterm infants (EPTs).

METHODS

In this feasibility trial, 12 EPTs received CMT, while the remaining 19 received standard neonatal care. Socio-demographic data and perinatal complications were compared between groups as risk factors. Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development at 2-year follow-up (FU2) and KABC-II-Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children at 5-year follow-up (FU5) were analysed using the Mann-Whitney U-tests.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven (87.1%) and 18 (58.1%) EPTs attended the FU2 and FU5 examination, respectively. The rate of neurodevelopmental risk factors at birth of the two groups was quite similar. While there was no difference in the FU2 outcomes between groups, there were higher values in the CMT group's Fluid-Crystallised Index of the KABC-II.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate neither a beneficial nor a detrimental effect of CMT on neurodevelopment at 2 years but a trend of improved cognitive outcomes at 5 years more similar to cognitive scores of term-born infants than of standard treatment EPTs. The findings favour an RCT but must be interpreted cautiously due to the reduced sample size and non-randomised design.

Family-Integrated Neonatal Music Therapy: A Descriptive Pilot Study of Parental Perceptions on Music Therapy Participation and Long-Term Influences

Purpose: Following a family-integrated music therapy (MT) approach, describe parental perceptions on the use of music with maternal voice to soothe and connect with the infant and the long-term influence of this approach on parents' integration of music postdischarge. Design: In this descriptive, observational within-subjects pilot cohort study, board-certified music therapists instructed and recorded mothers in singing selected songs of kin. Infants received the recorded sessions weekly from enrollment to discharge. Parents were surveyed at 1- and 6-year postdischarge. Sample: Medically stable preterm infants (n = 12) and their English-speaking parents (n = 17). Main Outcome Variable: Parent perceptions on participation and long-term influence on family integration of music during hospitalization and postdischarge. Results: Parents reported knowledge of soothing and interacting with their children as the highest benefit of MT. They also perceived the effects of an easier transition home, enhanced learning and child development, and personal benefits of positive mood and enhanced relaxation.

The Effect of Contingent Singing on Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

A significant component of care for infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is providing an optimal environment for supporting neurodevelopment and growth. Interventions that support the behavioral and physiologic stability of this population may play an important role in improving overall outcomes. Contingent singing is a music intervention that allows the caregiver to tailor certain musical elements, such as rhythm and tempo, to match behavioral and physiologic cues and support the infant in achieving optimal stabilization. A randomized crossover design was used to study the effect of contingent singing on the behavioral state and physiologic measures compared to standard care practices in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Data were collected on a sample of 37 infants diagnosed with BPD. There were no significant differences in the physiologic measures or behavioral states of infants in the contingent singing sessions compared to control sessions. Parents and staff reported favorable views of music therapy in the NICU, and there were no adverse responses from infants during contingent singing. Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of this intervention on the physiologic stability of infants with BPD.

Israeli Parents' Lived Experiences of Music Therapy With Their Preterm Infants Post-Hospitalization

In the current study, we aimed to explore the lived experience of Israeli parents who engaged in musical dialogues with their preterm infants during music therapy (MT) after being discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), as a part of the multinational LongSTEP RCT. Seven participants of the main trial were invited to engage in semi-structured in-depth interviews intertwining listening to audio recordings from their music therapy sessions in an adapted interpersonal process recall (IPR) procedure. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). We understood the participants' experiences to reflect two main themes: 1) Music therapy as a potential means of transformation in communication skills, resourcefulness and sense of agency; and 2) emotional and musical preconditions for parental engagement in MT. The findings illustrate how a specific group of Israeli parents experienced MT as offering them a means of expanding their relationship with their preterm infants after discharge. Based on our findings, we recommend that music therapists consider parents' musical and emotional resources during post-discharge MT to meet the individual needs of families.