Music during chemotherapy showed a mixed symptom pattern
Selected symptom ratings favored listening groups, but several other symptoms and resilience did not show clear differences.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Music, with or without affirmations, was associated with lower post-test scores for depression, drowsiness and the study's well-being symptom measure than control. Changes in pain, nausea, appetite, breathlessness and psychological resilience did not differ significantly across groups. The abstract does not establish an added benefit from affirmations.
The abstract omits effect sizes and control-condition details. Its anxiety analysis reports differences across time without a significant interaction, which does not demonstrate a benefit specific to listening.
What researchers found
Depression, drowsiness and well-being symptom ratings
At the reported post-test, both listening groups scored lower than control (p < 0.05); the abstract does not identify which follow-up this represents.
What researchers tested
The trial asked whether listening could change chemotherapy-related symptoms, anxiety and resilience. Participants heard either selected music alone or the same recordings alongside affirmations; symptom and psychological questionnaires tracked changes over time.
Reading the anxiety result
Anxiety scores differed across assessment times, but the interaction was not statistically significant. That distinction matters: a change over time does not, by itself, show that an intervention outperformed the comparison group.
The original publication
The effect of music and affirmation listening on symptom management, psychological resilience, and anxiety levels in women with breast cancer.
Uysal N, Ünal Toprak F, Şahingöz Alparğan M
Support Care Cancer · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41145719
- Record checked
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