Exploring a Single Music Therapy Session to Reduce 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Child and Adolescent's Outpatient Clinic‐Related Anxiety

AIM: This study explored whether a single music therapy session could reduce 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (DS) children and adolescents' clinic-related anxiety when visiting the hospital outpatient clinic for health appointments. METHODS: The research employed a within-subjects, single-session, intervention design. The effect of the 30-min music therapy session on children and adolescents' (henceforth children) anxiety was assessed at baseline and the end of the session. A triangulated approach examined children's anxiety through parent and child self-report questionnaires, electrocardiograph (heart rate) and observational behavioural measures. RESULTS: Children's self-reported anxiety was low and did not significantly change pre-post session, while parent/caregiver perceptions of their child's anxiety significantly decreased. Significant reduction in the frequency of anxious eye-gaze behavior and face and bodily expressions, and an increase in non-anxious behaviours and expressions were observed pre-post the session. Heart rate did not significantly decrease pre-post the music therapy session. Up to a week after the session, parents/caregivers reported a pronounced change in their child's overall anxiety after the session and a substantial improvement in their usual overall clinic experience that day. CONCLUSION: The findings from parent/caregiver reports and behavioural observations suggest that the music therapy session regulated the children's clinic-related anxiety, with parents/caregivers perceiving benefits extending post-session. However, these findings did not neatly align with children's self-reported anxiety and heart rate data, possibly reflecting characteristics of the population and measurement challenges. Active engagement in musical experiences with a skilled facilitator, such as a music therapist, might offer a safe and potentially inexpensive non-pharmacological approach to reducing hospital clinic-related anxiety in 22q11.2 (DS) children and adolescents, and enhance the clinic experience.