Songwriting survivorship: Music therapy study examines the needs and challenges of cancer survivors
Beyond lifelong physical conditions, cancer survivorship can bring long-term mental health concerns, such as anxiety, depression and isolation. In an effort to support cancer survivors, researchers from Drexel University are exploring music therapy as a way to better understand what they're going through and help them manage these posttreatment challenges.
Cancer survivors often face long-term mental health issues like anxiety, depression and isolation. Researchers from Drexel University are studying music therapy as a potential aid in addressing these challenges. The Music Therapy Versus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Cancer-related Anxiety (MELODY) trial examined the effectiveness of music therapy versus cognitive behavioral therapy, which is currently the gold standard for anxiety management in cancer care.
The study, led by Sarah Biedka, analyzed 26 songs written during music therapy sessions to explore the needs and challenges of cancer survivors who created the songs. The results, published in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship, revealed that songwriting during music therapy helped participants identify and process complex and often uncomfortable needs and challenges beyond cancer-related anxiety.
These needs included prioritizing self-care, redefining identity, navigating relationships and finding deeper meaning. Through songwriting, participants felt uniquely seen and heard, which helped them communicate their thoughts and emotions. The researchers emphasize that music therapy enabled participants to creatively access, examine, communicate and release their feelings, often emotions they were previously reluctant to discuss.
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