Towards Prescribed Music in Clinical Contexts: More Than Words

Abstract

The use of pre-recorded music has become status quo in a growing number of clinical music & medicine contexts. The process for choosing music used in both music therapy and music medicine interventions however has received surprisingly little attention in the literature, and might benefit from a more systematic approach. Applications made should ultimately provide for greater therapeutic efficacy. The following guidelines seek to contribute to the development of such a system in an effort to move toward a less arbitrary practice- thereby focusing greater attention to accurately match pre-recorded music to meet desired clinical goals. A systematic approach was developed and implemented in a music psychotherapy program which treated patients receiving radiation therapy for cancer in contexts in which the use of live music interventions were not feasible (e.g. during simulation for external beam radiation therapy and radiation therapy). The protocolized music therapy intervention that sought to address state anxiety in patients with cancer was examined in a randomized control study. This article will describe a developing system resulting from this study, thereby qualifying the clinical context of how musical decisions are made.