Study to examine if music-based play helps young cancer patients and their parents

An Indiana University School of Nursing researcher has been awarded $1.4 million to determine if a music therapy intervention can be used to manage acute distress in young cancer patients ages 3 to 8 and their parents.

Sheri Robb received the award from the National Institutes of Health. She will lead a team of researchers at Riley Hospital in Indianapolis, Children's Mercy Kansas City and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta that will examine the impact of play and a specific music-based play intervention on the shared distress that parents and children experience when the child is undergoing intensive chemotherapy.

A total of 184 pairs of children and parents will be enrolled in the study at the hospitals during the next two years.

"The interventions were designed to diminish parent-child distress that occurs when the child is undergoing cancer treatment and at the same time improve their quality of life and family functioning overall," Robb said.

Robb said it's well-known that young children cope with difficult life experiences through play. The interventions to be studied include a stories program and a music play intervention that is delivered to both parent and child by a board-certified music therapist, she said.

"The therapist is trained to tailor music experiences to the specific needs of the child and parent while at the same time providing resources to parents about how they can use music and play between therapist visits," Robb said.

The therapists will work with the children and their parents while the children are receiving chemotherapy at the hospitals.

Read the full article via EurekAlert!

Learn more about the Music Therapy program at Children's Mercy.