The Effects of a Music Therapy Intervention in PICU as Measured by the Comfort Behavior Scale

##article.abstract##

This article describes the results of a study of 87 infants (aged 0 – 6 months) hospitalized in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) who interacted with parents either with music or no music. A music therapist provided the live music condition consisting of music with specifically defined parameters: binary rhythm at a tempo of 80 b/min, ternary rhythm at 90 b/min. The use of both major and minor modes was utilized, but basically G, F, A, D, E major, and E, D, F, B and C minor were used. Each intervention began with two basic chords (I-IV). Intensity covered a range from pianissimo to forte, depending on the baby’s presentation. Pre-and post-test measures were recorded using the COMFORT Behavior Scale. Results showed a significant difference after the interaction in the adult with music condition (p = 0.038). The score in the moments directly after the music is lower than the rest of the time.