Parents’ Perception of Family-Centered Music Therapy with Stable Preterm Infants

Abstract

Premature birth places considerable demands on preterm infants and their families. Most of these infants are treated on a neonatal intensive care unit immediately after birth, leading to psychosocial stress for parents and making it more difficult to build a stable parent-child bond. We hypothesized that accompaniment with live music therapy by a music therapist supports the parents to get in contact with their child and to promote the parents’ wellbeing. Preterm infants born at less than 32 gestational weeks received creative music therapy twice a week until discharge. At the time of discharge, the parents were asked to complete a Likert-style questionnaire to evaluate the music therapy. Six items related to socio-demographic characteristics, 4 items to observations on the infant and 10 items to personal perception. Of 40 preterm infants receiving music therapy, 32 (80%) parents completed the questionnaires. Thirty (94%) of these parents were able to relax during the music therapy session. Relaxation in their infants was observed by 29 (91%) during and by 28 (88%) after music therapy. Parents perceived music therapy as a positive change and enrichment during their infant’s hospital stay. All parents were thankful for the music therapy they received. Music therapy supports the parents of preterm infants in the first time after birth until discharge from the hospital.

Impact of Physical Contact on Preterm Infants’ Vital Sign Response to Live Music Therapy

“…Clinically stable patients received live music therapy from the second week of life twice per week until their hospital discharge [ 12 , 30 ]. The music therapist coordinated the timing of the individual therapy sessions with the nursing staff and parents in compliance with clinical routine.…”

Musiktherapie mit Kindern und Jugendlichen im klinischen Kontext

“…1 ). Von den Eltern wird dies als positives unterstützendes Angebot, das das Wohlbefinden ihres Kindes während ihres Krankenhausaufenthalts positiv beeinflusst, wahrgenommen 15 , 16 . Es wurde festgestellt, dass improvisierte musikalische Aktivitäten mit therapeutischen Zielen und Ergebnissen Motivation, Kommunikationsfähigkeiten und soziale Interaktion fördern sowie die Aufmerksamkeit aufrechterhalten und entwickeln 17 .…”

Music Therapy Supports Children with Neurological Diseases during Physical Therapy Interventions

“…This way of performing music therapy has already been shown to be a very effective method in several studies with preterm infants and their parents. The sound of the Sansula improved the vital signs heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation in the premature infants, and the parents described a relaxing effect of the sounds [6,16].…”