The Effects of Music Therapy as a Complementary Intervention in the Treatment of Pediatric Asthma

• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02201836
• Recruitment Status: Completed
• First Posted: July 28, 2014
• Last Update Posted: July 28, 2014
• Sponsor: Beth Israel Medical Center
• Information provided by (Responsible Party): Beth Israel Medical Center

Study Description

Brief Summary:

The onset of asthma is particularly frightening for children. When the symptoms of asthma decrease, children and parents forget about the maintenance and control of breath and lung volume. Because adherence is so poor, asthma is known as the emergency room illness. The playing of a wind instrument is a unique way to provide a creative means for children and teens to understand both the impact of diaphramatic breathing and their ability to control it as well. This study builds upon the evidence, though sparse, that suggest that the blowing of a wind instrument with clinical music therapy intervention strengthens the muscles of breathing and fortifies the incentive toward attending to the daily symptoms and general management of asthma.

Condition or disease	Intervention/treatment	Phase
Asthma	Other: One time music therapy; Other: Group music therapy	Not Applicable

Study Design

• Study Type: Interventional (Clinical Trial)
• Actual Enrollment: 200 participants
• Allocation: Randomized
• Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator)
• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Official Title: The Effects of Music Therapy as a Complementary Intervention in the Treatment of Pediatric Asthma
• Study Start Date: January 2006
• Actual Primary Completion Date: January 2012
• Actual Study Completion Date: January 2012

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/treatment
Active Comparator: One time music therapy session; One time music therapy session which consists of music meditation, including as assessment/evaluation of confined body breathing function as expressed through drawing and coloring post music imagery session. This is followed by an entrainment wind playing/breath expansion music therapy intervention. At the end of the session, the subjects are given a donated wind instrument for play at home.	Other: One time music therapy
Active Comparator: Weekly group music therapy intervention; The weekly group music therapy intervention consists of children and teens using guided visualization and expressing their fears and or fantasies related to breathing with one another. This is followed by creative music improvisations with part-playing on flutes, slide whistles, recorders and melodicas.	Other: Group music therapy
No Intervention: Control

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures :

1. Quality of Life [ Time Frame: 6 months ]
   The Juniper Questionnaire is a stringent quality of life measure that provides interview for children and teens and their parents. It is one of the few scales that requires these interviews to occur separately, so that children and parents do not feel compelled to answer what they think the other desires to hear. We also used take home journals and a comprehensive medical assessment to learn of ER visits, missed school days, avoidance of medication, and allergens in the home, as well as socio-economic status - these factors are known in the literature to effect outcomes and exacerbations with this population.

Secondary Outcome Measures :

1. Increase volume capacity [ Time Frame: 6 months ]
   Spirometry enabled us to analyze the possible effects of wind playing on the child's breathing

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 7 Years to 18 Years (Child, Adult)
• Sexes Eligible for Study: All
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• between the ages of 7 and 18
• diagnosed with asthma

Exclusion Criteria:

• over 18

Contacts and Locations

Locations

United States, New York

Beth Israel Medical Center

New York, New York, United States, 10003

Sponsors and Collaborators

Beth Israel Medical Center

Investigators

• Principal Investigator: Joanne Loewy, DA; Beth Israel Medical Center

More Information

• Responsible Party: Beth Israel Medical Center
• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02201836
• Other Study ID Numbers: 142-04
• First Posted: July 28, 2014
• Last Update Posted: July 28, 2014
• Last Verified: July 2014

Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Asthma; Bronchial Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Hypersensitivity; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Hypersensitivity; Immune System Diseases