. 2023 Jul 24;31(8):488. doi: 10.1007/s00520-023-07938-6

Table 1.

Characteristics of the included systematic reviews

Study; RCTs of interest	Participants (age, sex); diagnosis	Interventions, duration	Music style	Outcomes	Effect size (overall or subgroup analysis)
Bradt et al. 2021; Australia (1), Brazil (5), China (13), Denmark (2), Germany (1), Iran (3), Italy (3), Taiwan (4), Turkey (1), USA (36) Total: 69	Total: 4838 (54.8 yrs., 3015 females); music-based group (2900) Breast, haematological (lymphoma, leukaemia, myeloma), lung, rectal, skin, neck, head, sinus, genitourinary, and others	Music-based group: standard care with live or recorded music). Active involvement, i.e., singing, imagery, clapping, or passive listening. Applied during radio or chemotherapy, surgery, or other Control group: standard care, i.e., chemo or radio therapy or surgery, alone or combined with wearing headphones with no music Sessions: 1 to 40 Duration: 1 day to 15 wks	Blues, pop, rock, country, new age, classical	Anxiety: STAI, NRS, HADS, QMS, SAS, VAS Depression: BDI, HADS, CES-D, POMS, QMS, SDS Distress: NRS Fatigue: BFI, MSFI, VAS, FACIT, POMS, EORTC Mood: SF-POMS, VAS, POMS, EORTC Pain: BPI, NRS, VAS QoL: HQLI-R, FACIT-G, EORTC, FACIT-BMT	• Anxiety (subgroup, STAI, 17 studies) SMD: -7.73 (-10.02, -5.44), P < 0.01, I² = 93% • Anxiety (subgroup, non-STAI, only cancer, 8 studies) SMD: -0.75 (-1.30, -0.21), P = 0.007, I² = 92% • Depression (subgroup, only cancer, 11 studies) SMD: -0.41 (-0.68, -0.15),P = 0.002, I² = 75% • Distress (overall, 2 studies) SMD: -0.38 (-1.43, 0.66), P = 0.47, I² = 88% • Fatigue (subgroup, only cancer, 9 studies) SMD: -0.26 (-0.44, -0.07), P = 0.007, I² = 0% • Mood (overall, 4 studies) SMD: 0.53 (-0.03, 1.10); P = 0.07; I² = 76% • Pain (subgroup, only cancer, 9 studies) SMD: -0.77 (-1.25, -0.29), P = 0.002, I² = 85% • QoL (overall, 7 studies) SMD: 0.88 (-0.31, 2.08), P = 0.015, I² = 97%
Bro et al. 2018; China (3), Germany (1), Iran (1), Italy (2), Taiwan (2), Turkey (1), USA (15) Total: 25	Total: 1784 (age, sex, N/S); music-based group (N/S) Breast, haematological (lymphoma, leukaemia) or N/S	Music-based group: standard care and live or recorded music. Active involvement, i.e., singing, imagery, clapping, or passive listening. Applied during radio or chemotherapy, surgery, or other Control group: standard care, wait-list Sessions: 1 to 45 Duration: 3 days to 60 wks	Classical, rock and roll, folk, new age, jazz, soundtracks, nature music, religious	Anxiety: HADS, STAI, VAS Depression: HADS, ZSDS Distress: HADS, NRS Fatigue: BFI, POMS, VAS Mood: I-PANAS-SF, VAS, SF-POMS Pain: MPQ, NRS, VAS QoL: EORTCBR23/ QLQ‐30, FACIT‐G	• Anxiety (overall, 9 studies) SMD: -0.65 (-1.20, -0.11), P = 0.02, I² = 90% • Depression (overall, 2 studies) SMD: -0.89 (-2.92, 1.14), P = 0.39, I² = 97% • Distress (overall, 2 studies) SMD: -0.25 (-1.03, 0.52); P = 0.52, I² = 74% • Fatigue (overall, 3 studies) SMD: -0.22 (-1.08, 0.63), P = 0.61, I² = 80% • Mood (overall, 4 studies) SMD: -0.55 (-0.98, -0.13), P = 0.01, I² = 54% • Pain (overall, 7 studies) SMD: -0.88 (-1.45, -0.32), P = 0.002, I² = 88% • QoL (overall, 2 studies) SMD: -0.21 (-0.55, 0.14), P = 0.25, I² = 0%
Garza-Villarreal et al. 2017; USA (1), Italy (1), China (1), Taiwan (1) Total: 4	Total: 361 (55.3 yrs., 223 females); music-based group (N/S) Diagnosis N/S	Music-based group: live or recorded music Control group: standard care. Sessions: N/S Duration: N/S	Music style: N/S	Pain: NRS, VAS,	• Pain (overall, 4 studies) SMD: -0.78 (-1.00, -0.56), P < 0.001, I² = 71%
Nguyen et al. 2022; Brazil (1), Italy (1), Germany (2), Taiwan (2), USA (3) Total: 9	Total: 686 (age, sex, N/S); music-based group (381) Breast, haematological (lymphoma, leukaemia) or mixed	Music-based group: standard care with music therapy or music medicine. Recorded or live music. Active involvement, i.e., singing, playing, guided imagery, or passive listening. Applied before or during chemotherapy or at hospital Control group: standard care Sessions: 1 to 36 Duration: 1 day to 12 wks	Classical, new age, blues, jazz, pop, rock, folk, nature sounds, film soundtracks	Anxiety: HADS, STAI VAS Depression: BDI-II, HADS QoL: QLQ‐30, WHOQOL	• Anxiety (overall, 6 studies) SMD: -0.29 (-0.50, -0.08), P = 0.006; I² = 62% • Depression (overall, 3 studies) SMD: -0.04 (-0.32, 0.24), P = 0.79; I² = 0% • QoL (overall, 2 studies) SMD: 0.42 (0.02, 0.82), P = 0.04, I² = 18%
Nightingale et al. 2013; China (1), Italy (1), Taiwan (1), USA (10) Total: 13	Total: 709 (51 to 63 yrs., sex N/S); music-based group (383) Breast, haematological (lymphoma, leukaemia) lung, prostate, head and neck, colorectal, stomach, ovarian, skin, others, or N/S	Music-based group: treatment as usual care with recorded or live music. Active involvement, i.e., singing, playing, or passive listening. Applied at hospital stay or during treatment Control group: treatment as usual care alone or combined with headphones with no music Sessions: 1 to 15 Duration: 1 day to 5 wks	Classical, soundtracks, nature, new age, country, religious or other	Anxiety: BAI, HADS, VAS, POMS-SF, ZSAS, STAI	• Anxiety (overall, 4 studies) SMD: -0.003 (-0.51, 0.52), P = 0.99, I² = 67.5%
Park et al. 2021; China (1), Italy (1), Taiwan (1) Total: 3	Total: 301 (54.4 yrs., sex N/S); music-based group (151) Breast or mixed	Music-based group: standard care with recorded or live music Control group: usual care Sessions: 1 to 4 or tailored Duration: 1 day to 4 wks	Sedative music or for relaxation	Pain: SF-MPQ, VAS	• Pain (overall, 3 studies) Hedges’ g: 0.86 (0.53, 1.18), P < 0.01, I² = 37%
Qi et al. 2021; China (3), Italy (1), USA (4) Total: 8	Total: 467 (53.2 yrs., sex N/S); music-based group (235) Breast, haematological (lymphoma, leukaemia, myeloma), or N/S	Music-based group: standard care with recorded or live music. HELP mode music therapy, FEMT Control group: standard care, relaxation training, or N/S Sessions: 1 to 40 Duration: 1 day to 8 wks	Music style: N/S	Fatigue: BFI, POMS, SF-MFSI, SF-POMS, VAS	• Fatigue (overall, 8 studies) SMD: -0.88 (-1.49, -0.26), P = 0.005, I² = 89%
Sezgin and Bektas 2022; USA (6) Total: 6	Total: 279 (56 yrs., sex N/S); music-based group (140) Haematological (lymphoma, leukaemia, myeloma)	Music-based group: standard care with passive music listening (with or without imagery) Control group: standard care Sessions: 1 to 8 Duration: 1 day to 4 wks	Guitar, classical, others	Fatigue: BFI, FACIT-F, POMS, VAS	• Fatigue (overall, 6 studies) Hedges’ g: 0.33 (0.09, 0.56), P = 0.006, I² = 0%
Tao et al. 2016; China (3) Total: 3	Total: 300 (age, sex N/S); music-based group (N/S) Mixed or breast	Music-based group: usual or standard medical care and FEMT or FEMT + placebo Control group: usual or standard medical care Sessions: N/S Duration: N/S to 12 wks	Chinese Medicine FEMT	Depression: SDS	• Depression (overall, 2 studies) SMD: -2.96 (-5.60, -0.32), P = 0.03, I² = 96%
Tsai et al. 2014; Country N/S Total: 18	Total: 1405 (51.7 yrs., sex N/S); music-based group (665) Breast, haematological, (lymphoma, leukaemia) colorectal, or N/S	Music-based group: usual or standard care with passive music listening or active involvement Control group: usual or standard care Sessions: 1 to 10 Duration: 1 to 4 wks	N/S	Depression: HADS, POMS, ZSDS Fatigue: FACIT-F, POMS Pain: NRS, VAS, SF-MPQ	• Depression (subgroup, adults, 7 studies) Hedge’s g: -0.55 (-0.73, -0.37), P = 0.001, I² = N/S • Fatigue (subgroup, adults, 5 studies) Hedge’s g: -0.49 (-0.73, -0.24), P = 0.001, I² = 28.52% • Pain (subgroup, adults, 4 studies) Hedge’s g: -0.58 (-1.05, -0.11), P = 0.016, I² = N/S
Wang et al. 2018; Country N/S Total: 30	Total: 2559 (18 to 75 yrs., sex N/S); music-based group (1292) Breast	Music-based group: passive listening alone or with imagery and relaxation. Applied before or during radiotherapy or surgery Control group: standard care Sessions: 1 to 180 Duration: 2 days to 18 wks	Music style: N/S	Anxiety: HARS, SAI, SAS Depression: SDS	• Anxiety (HARS, 2 studies) MD: -7.04 (-9.31, -4.78), P < 0.001, I² = 87% • Anxiety (SAI, 2 studies) MD: -12.40 (-21.86, -2.94), P = 0.01, I² = 64% • Anxiety (SAS, 5 studies) MD: -7.40 (-10.28, -4.52), P < 0.001, I² = 90% • Depression (SDS, 6 studies) MD: -7.39 (-8.35, -6.43), P < 0.001, I² = 31%
Yang et al. 2021; China (13) Total: 13	Total: 1174 (51.9 yrs., 352 females); music-based group (650) Breast, colorectal, leukaemia, lung, others	Music-based group: usual care with FEMT Control group: usual care, massage, relaxation training Sessions: 6 to 180 Duration: 3 days to 12 wks	Music style: Chinese Medicine FEMT	Anxiety: SAS Depression: SDS	• Anxiety (SAS, 7 studies) SMD: -0.45 (-1.59, 0.70), P = 0.45, I² = 97% • Depression (SDS, 10 studies) SMD: -1.34 (-1.69, -0.98), P < 0.001, I² = 80%
Yangöz et al. 2019; Brazil (1), Italy (2), Taiwan (1), Turkey (1), USA (1) Total: 6	Total: 593 (age, sex, N/S); music-based group (279) Diagnosis N/S	Music-based group: standard care with passive music listening (live or recorded music) Control group: standard care, bed rest Sessions: 1 to 3 Duration: 1 day to 4 wks	Instrumental, pop, jazz, classical, soundtracks, piano, or N/S	Pain: ESAS, NRS, VAS	• Pain (overall, 6 studies) Hedges’ g: 0.56 (0.19, 0.92), P = 0.003, I² = 76.83%

Study; RCTs of interest

Participants (age, sex); diagnosis

Interventions, duration

Music style

Outcomes

Effect size (overall or subgroup analysis)

Bradt et al. 2021; Australia (1),

Brazil (5), China (13), Denmark (2), Germany (1), Iran (3), Italy (3), Taiwan (4), Turkey (1), USA (36)

Total: 69

Total: 4838 (54.8 yrs., 3015 females); music-based group (2900)

Breast, haematological (lymphoma, leukaemia, myeloma), lung, rectal, skin, neck, head, sinus, genitourinary, and others

Music-based group: standard care with live or recorded music). Active involvement, i.e., singing, imagery, clapping, or passive listening. Applied during radio or chemotherapy, surgery, or other

Control group: standard care, i.e., chemo or radio therapy or surgery, alone or combined with wearing headphones with no music

Sessions: 1 to 40

Duration: 1 day to 15 wks

Blues, pop, rock, country, new age, classical

Anxiety: STAI, NRS, HADS, QMS, SAS, VAS

Depression: BDI, HADS, CES-D, POMS, QMS, SDS

Distress: NRS

Fatigue: BFI, MSFI, VAS, FACIT, POMS, EORTC

Mood: SF-POMS, VAS, POMS, EORTC

Pain: BPI, NRS, VAS

QoL: HQLI-R, FACIT-G, EORTC, FACIT-BMT

• Anxiety (subgroup, STAI, 17 studies)

SMD: -7.73 (-10.02, -5.44), P < 0.01, I² = 93%

• Anxiety (subgroup, non-STAI, only cancer, 8 studies)

SMD: -0.75 (-1.30, -0.21), P = 0.007, I² = 92%

• Depression (subgroup, only cancer, 11 studies)

SMD: -0.41 (-0.68, -0.15),P = 0.002, I² = 75%

• Distress (overall, 2 studies)

SMD: -0.38 (-1.43, 0.66), P = 0.47, I² = 88%

• Fatigue (subgroup, only cancer, 9 studies)

SMD: -0.26 (-0.44, -0.07), P = 0.007, I² = 0%

• Mood (overall, 4 studies)

SMD: 0.53 (-0.03, 1.10); P = 0.07; I² = 76%

• Pain (subgroup, only cancer, 9 studies)

SMD: -0.77 (-1.25, -0.29), P = 0.002, I² = 85%

• QoL (overall, 7 studies)

SMD: 0.88 (-0.31, 2.08), P = 0.015, I² = 97%

Bro et al. 2018; China (3), Germany (1), Iran (1), Italy (2), Taiwan (2), Turkey (1), USA (15)

Total: 25

Total: 1784 (age, sex, N/S); music-based group (N/S)

Breast, haematological (lymphoma, leukaemia) or N/S

Music-based group: standard care and live or recorded music. Active involvement, i.e., singing, imagery, clapping, or passive listening. Applied during radio or chemotherapy, surgery, or other

Control group: standard care, wait-list

Sessions: 1 to 45

Duration: 3 days to 60 wks

Classical, rock and roll, folk, new age, jazz, soundtracks, nature music, religious

Anxiety: HADS, STAI, VAS

Depression: HADS, ZSDS

Distress: HADS, NRS

Fatigue: BFI, POMS, VAS

Mood: I-PANAS-SF, VAS, SF-POMS

Pain: MPQ, NRS, VAS

QoL: EORTCBR23/ QLQ‐30, FACIT‐G

• Anxiety (overall, 9 studies)

SMD: -0.65 (-1.20, -0.11), P = 0.02, I² = 90%

• Depression (overall, 2 studies)

SMD: -0.89 (-2.92, 1.14), P = 0.39, I² = 97%

• Distress (overall, 2 studies)

SMD: -0.25 (-1.03, 0.52); P = 0.52, I² = 74%

• Fatigue (overall, 3 studies)

SMD: -0.22 (-1.08, 0.63), P = 0.61, I² = 80%

• Mood (overall, 4 studies)

SMD: -0.55 (-0.98, -0.13), P = 0.01, I² = 54%

• Pain (overall, 7 studies)

SMD: -0.88 (-1.45, -0.32), P = 0.002, I² = 88%

• QoL (overall, 2 studies)

SMD: -0.21 (-0.55, 0.14), P = 0.25, I² = 0%

Garza-Villarreal et al. 2017; USA (1), Italy (1), China (1), Taiwan (1)

Total: 4

Total: 361 (55.3 yrs., 223 females); music-based group (N/S)

Diagnosis N/S

Music-based group: live or recorded music

Control group: standard care. Sessions: N/S

Duration: N/S

Music style: N/S

Pain: NRS, VAS,

• Pain (overall, 4 studies)

SMD: -0.78 (-1.00, -0.56), P < 0.001, I² = 71%

Nguyen et al. 2022; Brazil (1), Italy (1), Germany (2), Taiwan (2), USA (3)

Total: 9

Total: 686 (age, sex, N/S); music-based group (381)

Breast, haematological (lymphoma, leukaemia) or mixed

Music-based group: standard care with music therapy or music medicine. Recorded or live music. Active involvement, i.e., singing, playing, guided imagery, or passive listening. Applied before or during chemotherapy or at hospital

Control group: standard care

Sessions: 1 to 36

Duration: 1 day to 12 wks

Classical, new age, blues, jazz, pop, rock, folk, nature sounds, film soundtracks

Anxiety: HADS, STAI VAS

Depression: BDI-II, HADS

QoL: QLQ‐30, WHOQOL

• Anxiety (overall, 6 studies)

SMD: -0.29 (-0.50, -0.08), P = 0.006; I² = 62%

• Depression (overall, 3 studies)

SMD: -0.04 (-0.32, 0.24), P = 0.79; I² = 0%

• QoL (overall, 2 studies)

SMD: 0.42 (0.02, 0.82), P = 0.04, I² = 18%

Nightingale et al. 2013; China (1), Italy (1), Taiwan (1), USA (10)

Total: 13

Total: 709 (51 to 63 yrs., sex N/S); music-based group (383)

Breast, haematological (lymphoma, leukaemia) lung, prostate, head and neck, colorectal, stomach, ovarian, skin, others, or N/S

Music-based group: treatment as usual care with recorded or live music. Active involvement, i.e., singing, playing, or passive listening. Applied at hospital stay or during treatment

Control group: treatment as usual care alone or combined with headphones with no music

Sessions: 1 to 15

Duration: 1 day to 5 wks

Classical, soundtracks, nature, new age, country, religious or other

Anxiety: BAI, HADS, VAS, POMS-SF, ZSAS, STAI

• Anxiety (overall, 4 studies)

SMD: -0.003 (-0.51, 0.52), P = 0.99, I² = 67.5%

Park et al. 2021; China (1), Italy (1), Taiwan (1)

Total: 3

Total: 301 (54.4 yrs., sex N/S); music-based group (151)

Breast or mixed

Music-based group: standard care with recorded or live music

Control group: usual care

Sessions: 1 to 4 or tailored

Duration: 1 day to 4 wks

Sedative music or for relaxation

Pain: SF-MPQ, VAS

• Pain (overall, 3 studies)

Hedges’ g: 0.86 (0.53, 1.18), P < 0.01, I² = 37%

Qi et al. 2021; China (3), Italy (1), USA (4)

Total: 8

Total: 467 (53.2 yrs., sex N/S); music-based group (235)

Breast, haematological (lymphoma, leukaemia, myeloma), or N/S

Music-based group: standard care with recorded or live music. HELP mode music therapy, FEMT

Control group: standard care, relaxation training, or N/S

Sessions: 1 to 40

Duration: 1 day to 8 wks

Music style: N/S

Fatigue: BFI, POMS, SF-MFSI, SF-POMS, VAS

• Fatigue (overall, 8 studies)

SMD: -0.88 (-1.49, -0.26), P = 0.005, I² = 89%

Sezgin and Bektas 2022; USA (6)

Total: 6

Total: 279 (56 yrs., sex N/S); music-based group (140)

Haematological (lymphoma, leukaemia, myeloma)

Music-based group: standard care with passive music listening (with or without imagery)

Control group: standard care

Sessions: 1 to 8

Duration: 1 day to 4 wks

Guitar, classical, others

Fatigue: BFI, FACIT-F, POMS, VAS

• Fatigue (overall, 6 studies)

Hedges’ g: 0.33 (0.09, 0.56), P = 0.006, I² = 0%

Tao et al. 2016; China (3)

Total: 3

Total: 300 (age, sex N/S); music-based group (N/S)

Mixed or breast

Music-based group: usual or standard medical care and FEMT or FEMT + placebo

Control group: usual or standard medical care

Sessions: N/S

Duration: N/S to 12 wks

Chinese Medicine FEMT

Depression: SDS

• Depression (overall, 2 studies)

SMD: -2.96 (-5.60, -0.32), P = 0.03, I² = 96%

Tsai et al. 2014; Country N/S

Total: 18

Total: 1405 (51.7 yrs., sex N/S); music-based group (665)

Breast, haematological, (lymphoma, leukaemia) colorectal, or N/S

Music-based group: usual or standard care with passive music listening or active involvement

Control group: usual or standard care

Sessions: 1 to 10

Duration: 1 to 4 wks

N/S

Depression: HADS, POMS, ZSDS

Fatigue: FACIT-F, POMS

Pain: NRS, VAS, SF-MPQ

• Depression (subgroup, adults, 7 studies)

Hedge’s g: -0.55 (-0.73, -0.37), P = 0.001, I² = N/S

• Fatigue (subgroup, adults, 5 studies)

Hedge’s g: -0.49 (-0.73, -0.24), P = 0.001, I² = 28.52%

• Pain (subgroup, adults, 4 studies)

Hedge’s g: -0.58 (-1.05, -0.11), P = 0.016, I² = N/S

Wang et al. 2018; Country N/S

Total: 30

Total: 2559 (18 to 75 yrs., sex N/S); music-based group (1292)

Breast

Music-based group: passive listening alone or with imagery and relaxation. Applied before or during radiotherapy or surgery

Control group: standard care

Sessions: 1 to 180

Duration: 2 days to 18 wks

Music style: N/S

Anxiety: HARS, SAI, SAS

Depression: SDS

• Anxiety (HARS, 2 studies)

MD: -7.04 (-9.31, -4.78), P < 0.001, I² = 87%

• Anxiety (SAI, 2 studies)

MD: -12.40 (-21.86, -2.94), P = 0.01, I² = 64%

• Anxiety (SAS, 5 studies)

MD: -7.40 (-10.28, -4.52), P < 0.001, I² = 90%

• Depression (SDS, 6 studies)

MD: -7.39 (-8.35, -6.43), P < 0.001, I² = 31%

Yang et al. 2021; China (13)

Total: 13

Total: 1174 (51.9 yrs., 352 females); music-based group (650)

Breast, colorectal, leukaemia, lung, others

Music-based group: usual care with FEMT

Control group: usual care, massage, relaxation training

Sessions: 6 to 180

Duration: 3 days to 12 wks

Music style: Chinese Medicine FEMT

Anxiety: SAS

Depression: SDS

• Anxiety (SAS, 7 studies)

SMD: -0.45 (-1.59, 0.70), P = 0.45, I² = 97%

• Depression (SDS, 10 studies)

SMD: -1.34 (-1.69, -0.98), P < 0.001, I² = 80%

Yangöz et al. 2019; Brazil (1), Italy (2), Taiwan (1), Turkey (1), USA (1)

Total: 6

Total: 593 (age, sex, N/S); music-based group (279)

Diagnosis N/S

Music-based group: standard care with passive music listening (live or recorded music)

Control group: standard care, bed rest

Sessions: 1 to 3

Duration: 1 day to 4 wks

Instrumental, pop, jazz, classical, soundtracks, piano, or N/S

Pain: ESAS, NRS, VAS

• Pain (overall, 6 studies)

Hedges’ g: 0.56 (0.19, 0.92), P = 0.003, I² = 76.83%

Effect size data are reported as mean difference, or standard mean difference with (95% confidence interval). I² index indicates the level of heterogeneity. Bold data indicates statistically significant differences (p<0,05). Subgroup analyses are listed when an overall meta-analysis was not available. Age and sex data are reported when included in more than half of the studies

Abbreviations: BAI Beck Anxiety Inventory, BDI Beck Depression Inventory, BFI Brief Fatigue Inventory, BPI Brief Pain Inventory, CES-D Center for Epidemiologic Diseases – Depression Scale, EORTC European Organization for Research and Treatment on Cancer, EORTC-BR23 European Organization for Research and Treatment for Breast Cancer Women, EORTC-QLQ-30, FACIT-BMT Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant, ESAS Edmonton Symptom Assessment System, FACIT-G Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue, FACIT-G Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, FEMT Five-Elements Music Therapy, HADS Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HARS Hamilton Anxiety-Rating Scale, HQLI-R Hospice Quality of Life Index – Revised, I-PANAS-SF positive and negative affect schedule-short form, MD mean difference, MFSI Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, MPQ Mc Gill Pain Questionnaire, N/S non-specified, NRS Numeric Rating Scale, POMS Profile of Mood Sates, QLQ‐30 Quality of Life questionnaire, QMS Quick Mood Scale, QoL quality of life, RCT randomized controlled trial, SAI State Anxiety Inventory, SAS State Anxiety Scale, SDS Self-Rating Depression Scale, SF short-form, SMD standard mean difference, STAI Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, VAS Visual Analogue Scale, wks. Weeks, WHOQOL World Health Organization Quality of Life, yrs. Years, ZSAS self-rating anxiety scale, ZSDS self-rating depression scale