SPECIAL SYMPOSIUM: Music Interventions for Medical and Rehabilitation Populations: A Tour of the Evidence SS7

The body of evidence for using music interventions with medical and neurological populations to impact psychological, physiological and behavioral outcomes suggests that these interventions are generally safe, cost-effective, and well-received. However, the heterogeneity in intervention types, delivery modes, and outcome measures limits the strength of generalizable conclusions. Methodological issues such as small sample sizes and inconsistent reporting of dosage, blinding, and allocation concealment further restrict the robustness of evidence.
Drawing primarily on Cochrane reviews, this presentation will provide a tour of the evidence for music interventions with adults in medical and rehabilitation settings, including with acquired brain injury, with cancer, with stress and anxiety associated with coronary heart disease, with preoperative anxiety, and in mechanically ventilated patients. The mechanisms of action underpinning music’s effects will be discussed along with a review of optimal research designs. Lastly, an interdisciplinary panel from medicine, rehabilitation and the sciences will respond focusing on the relevance of the arts in patient care and the implications for rehabilitation research.