Membranophone percussion instruments in music therapy with adult patients in the health context: a scope review.
Renata Souza Souto Tamiasso, Vladimir Araujo da Silva, Ruth Natalia Teresa Turrini
PMID 37486369WHAT IT FOUND
Drum-based music therapy often improved mood, reduced anxiety, supported social interaction and relaxation in adults, but the included evidence was weak and mostly uncontrolled.
It may support comfort, not replace treatment.
Key findings
01The review mapped 13 studies of adult music therapy using membranophone percussion instruments in health settings.
02The included studies reported improvements in mood, anxiety, emotional expression, social interaction, relaxation, and systolic blood pressure.
03Most included studies were quasi-experimental, without randomisation, and many had no control group, so the review says the evidence is weak.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Most included studies were quasi-experimental, without randomisation, and many had no control group. The review says sample sizes, intervention descriptions, and methods were limited, and it calls the evidence weak. Only one included study had follow-up, at three months. Gray literature sources were little explored, and the search did not look for articles in the references of selected articles. The review excluded pregnant women, psychiatric patients, and people with hearing impairment. The review mapped evidence rather than pooling it, so it cannot estimate a typical effect.
Declared interests
Funding: CAPES Finance Code 001 and CNPq. The paper does not state author conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the reported improvements as proof that drum therapy treats anxiety, blood pressure, or Parkinson's symptoms. The review says most included studies were not randomised, many had no control group, and the evidence is weak.