Making Therapy Helps Young Cancer Patients Cope with Treatments

Amy Taylor January 28, 2014

Music heals, really. According to a new study, music therapy can help teenagers and young people cope better when faced with treatment for cancer.

US researchers tracked a group of patients aged 11-24 who were undergoing high-risk stem-cell transplant treatments as they produced a music video over three weeks. The young patients were asked to write song lyrics, record sounds and collect video images to create their story. Participants were guided by a qualified music therapist who helped the patients identify what was important to them and how to communicate their ideas. Then, the videos they made were shared with family and friends through "premieres".

The findings, published in the journal Cancer found that patients gained resilience and improved relationships with family and friends. After the sessions, young patient who made music videos reported feeling more resilient and better able to cope with their treatment than another group not offered music therapy. After 100 days, the same group said they felt communication within their families was better and they were more connected with friends.

When the parents of the study participants, the researchers found that the videos gave parents useful insights into their children’s cancer experiences.

These are among the several protective factors identified by researchers that they say help teenagers and young adults to cope in the face of cancer treatments. "These protective factors influence the ways adolescents and young adults cope, gain hope and find meaning in the midst of their cancer journey.” said Dr Joan Haase, of Indiana University School of Nursing.

"Adolescents and young people who are resilient have the ability to rise above their illness, gain a sense of mastery and confidence in how they have dealt with their cancer, and demonstrate a desire to reach out and help others."

Sheri Robb, a music therapist who was part of the study, explained why music was particularly good at encouraging young people to engage. "When everything else is so uncertain, songs that are familiar to them are meaningful and make them feel connected." she said.

According to Cancer Research UK, music therapy can help people with cancer reduce their anxiety and improve their quality of life. It can also help to reduce some cancer symptoms and side-effects of treatment - but it cannot cure, treat or prevent any type of disease, including cancer.

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Making music videos ’helps young cancer patients cope’