Music medicine and music therapy in neonatal care: a scoping review of passive music listening research applications and findings on infant development and medical practice

Abstract Background In recent years, the use of music as a therapeutic and developmental tool for infants, especially within neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), has seen a surge in interest. Despite a growing body of research underscoring the potential benefits of music therapy and music medicine...

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Main Authors: Efthymios Papatzikis, Maria Agapaki, Rosari Naveena Selvan, Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, Christian Gold, Shulamit Epstein, U. Wun Vivian Lok, Evrykleia Barda, Varun Pandey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-12-01
Series:BMC Pediatrics
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-05275-z
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author Efthymios Papatzikis
Maria Agapaki
Rosari Naveena Selvan
Deanna Hanson-Abromeit
Christian Gold
Shulamit Epstein
U. Wun Vivian Lok
Evrykleia Barda
Varun Pandey
author_facet Efthymios Papatzikis
Maria Agapaki
Rosari Naveena Selvan
Deanna Hanson-Abromeit
Christian Gold
Shulamit Epstein
U. Wun Vivian Lok
Evrykleia Barda
Varun Pandey
author_sort Efthymios Papatzikis
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background In recent years, the use of music as a therapeutic and developmental tool for infants, especially within neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), has seen a surge in interest. Despite a growing body of research underscoring the potential benefits of music therapy and music medicine in enhancing infant development and aiding medical practices, the specific characteristics of music that maximize these benefits remain poorly understood. Objectives This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive foundation by mapping the existing literature on passive music listening and identifying gaps, trends, and patterns that are crucial precursors to the development of best practices. Methods Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted, covering studies published up until December 2022. The focus was on passive music listening, with a deliberate exclusion of active music interventions. Out of the initial pool of studies, 56 met the inclusion criteria, determined by the PICO framework, focusing on passive music exposure among full-term and preterm infants. Starting with a descriptive analysis approach, the study employed Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to identify key themes, including the physiological impacts of music, its role in pain management, effects on sleep and stress, and influences on feeding and weight gain. Results The review revealed a predominance of quantitative research methods, a significant concentration of studies from the United States, suggesting potential geographical bias, and a notable clinical setting bias. These findings indicate a critical need for methodological diversity and a more culturally inclusive and interdisciplinary approach to research. They also point to the necessity for standardized music intervention protocols to optimize therapeutic and developmental outcomes for this vulnerable population. Future research should aim to bridge the methodological gaps identified, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches to provide a comprehensive understanding of music’s impact on infant development and medical practices in a global, culturally nuanced context.
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spelling doaj-art-42a2d2502d7342d0883ca938b5e820aa2025-08-20T02:43:36ZengBMCBMC Pediatrics1471-24312024-12-0124111710.1186/s12887-024-05275-zMusic medicine and music therapy in neonatal care: a scoping review of passive music listening research applications and findings on infant development and medical practiceEfthymios Papatzikis0Maria Agapaki1Rosari Naveena Selvan2Deanna Hanson-Abromeit3Christian Gold4Shulamit Epstein5U. Wun Vivian Lok6Evrykleia Barda7Varun Pandey8Department of Early Childhood Education and Care, Oslo Metropolitan UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Metropolitan CollegeDepartment for Computational Neuroscience, Third Institute of Physics – Biophysics, University of GöttingenSchool of Music, Baby Music Intervention Research Lab, University of KansasDivision of Health and Society, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre ASFaculty of Psychology, University of ViennaSchool of Music, Baby Music Intervention Research Lab, University of KansasIndependent ResearcherIndependent ResearcherAbstract Background In recent years, the use of music as a therapeutic and developmental tool for infants, especially within neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), has seen a surge in interest. Despite a growing body of research underscoring the potential benefits of music therapy and music medicine in enhancing infant development and aiding medical practices, the specific characteristics of music that maximize these benefits remain poorly understood. Objectives This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive foundation by mapping the existing literature on passive music listening and identifying gaps, trends, and patterns that are crucial precursors to the development of best practices. Methods Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted, covering studies published up until December 2022. The focus was on passive music listening, with a deliberate exclusion of active music interventions. Out of the initial pool of studies, 56 met the inclusion criteria, determined by the PICO framework, focusing on passive music exposure among full-term and preterm infants. Starting with a descriptive analysis approach, the study employed Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to identify key themes, including the physiological impacts of music, its role in pain management, effects on sleep and stress, and influences on feeding and weight gain. Results The review revealed a predominance of quantitative research methods, a significant concentration of studies from the United States, suggesting potential geographical bias, and a notable clinical setting bias. These findings indicate a critical need for methodological diversity and a more culturally inclusive and interdisciplinary approach to research. They also point to the necessity for standardized music intervention protocols to optimize therapeutic and developmental outcomes for this vulnerable population. Future research should aim to bridge the methodological gaps identified, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches to provide a comprehensive understanding of music’s impact on infant development and medical practices in a global, culturally nuanced context.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-05275-zPassive music listeningNeonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)Infant developmentMusic therapyMusic medicinePreterm infants
spellingShingle Efthymios Papatzikis
Maria Agapaki
Rosari Naveena Selvan
Deanna Hanson-Abromeit
Christian Gold
Shulamit Epstein
U. Wun Vivian Lok
Evrykleia Barda
Varun Pandey
Music medicine and music therapy in neonatal care: a scoping review of passive music listening research applications and findings on infant development and medical practice
BMC Pediatrics
Passive music listening
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Infant development
Music therapy
Music medicine
Preterm infants
title Music medicine and music therapy in neonatal care: a scoping review of passive music listening research applications and findings on infant development and medical practice
title_full Music medicine and music therapy in neonatal care: a scoping review of passive music listening research applications and findings on infant development and medical practice
title_fullStr Music medicine and music therapy in neonatal care: a scoping review of passive music listening research applications and findings on infant development and medical practice
title_full_unstemmed Music medicine and music therapy in neonatal care: a scoping review of passive music listening research applications and findings on infant development and medical practice
title_short Music medicine and music therapy in neonatal care: a scoping review of passive music listening research applications and findings on infant development and medical practice
title_sort music medicine and music therapy in neonatal care a scoping review of passive music listening research applications and findings on infant development and medical practice
topic Passive music listening
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Infant development
Music therapy
Music medicine
Preterm infants
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-05275-z
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