Table 2.

Summary of the studies used in this scoping review.

Author and Year	Study Design	Objectives	Country	Main Results
Barrera et al., 2002 [24]	Mixed methods	Explore the effectiveness of interactive MT to reduce anxiety and increase the well-being of children and adolescents with cancer.	Canada	There was a significant improvement in the assessments of the patients’ feelings after the use of MT. Parents perceived an improvement in game performance in preschoolers and adolescents, but not in school-age children.
Barry et al., 2010 [32]	Mixed methods	Investigate the effects of MT interventions with the creation of a CD during radiotherapy treatment with paediatric cancer patients.	Australia	The creation of a MTCD was a fun, interesting, and appropriate intervention for children with cancer but there were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups in terms of anxiety and coping strategies used by the patients during radiotherapy treatment.
Bufalini, 2009 [42]	Controlled clinical trial	Examine whether interactive MT can be considered an effective treatment to reduce anxiety in paediatric cancer patients undergoing painful procedures.	Italy	The MT group presented a significant anticipatory anxiety attenuation effect. The degree of satisfaction of children, parents, and staff pointed towards the positive and beneficial role of interactive music during painful procedures.
Burns et al., 2009 [56]	Randomised controlled trial	Investigate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a TMV with adolescents and young adults undergoing stem cell transplantation.	USA	The follow-up at 100 days indicated positive trends in patients following TMV interventions in terms of increased hope, spirituality, confidence, and self-transcendence and reduced symptoms of distress and defensive coping.
Burns et al., 2010 [57]	Phenomenology design	Examine parents’ perspectives on the experience of their children undergoing stem cell transplantation while they had participated in a TMV.	USA	Parents perceived that the TMV intervention helped their children by reducing symptoms of distress and allowing them to have a greater sense of control, which allowed their child to better connect with them as well as friends and health workers. Parents also experienced positive emotions.
del Cabral-Gallo et al., 2014 [4]	Quasi-experimental transversal analysis	Assess the efficacy of MT for anxiety management in paediatric cancer patients and their caregivers.	Mexico	The use of MT helped to reduce the anxiety of the caregivers, but there were no significant changes in the children and adolescents with cancer.
Docherty et al., 2013 [61]	Qualitative descriptive design	Describe parents’ perspectives on the utility and significance of a behavioural health MT intervention for AYA with cancer undergoing stem cell transplantation.	USA	Parents indicated that MT intervention helped their children to mitigate physical symptoms, improve their self-esteem, increase acceptance, and to open up their relationships with family and friends. Parents also obtained indirect benefits.
Giordano et al., 2020 [4]	Randomised controlled trial	Evaluate the influence of MT on preoperative anxiety in children with leukaemia undergoing invasive procedures.	Italy	The results supported the potential efficacy of MT in reducing anxiety. More than 90% of the medical staff were very satisfied with the MT interventions.
Haase et al., 2020 [58]	Phenomenology design	Describe, through a randomised controlled clinical trial, the influence the creation of a TMV has on AYA during hospitalisation for stem cell transplantation.	USA	The results reported that creation of a TMV helped patients to overcome distress, explore and identify personal strengths, and enhance their connections with others.
Kemper et al., 2008 [49]	Prospective cohort study	Assess the effect of music in paediatric oncology outpatients.	USA	This work showed that it is possible to evaluate both subjective and objective measures of well-being. There was an improvement in subjective relaxation but there was also an increase in heart rate.
Nguyen et al., 2010 [44]	Randomised controlled trial	Assess whether MT influences pain and anxiety in children undergoing a lumbar puncture.	Vietnam	Decreased pain, heart rate, and respiratory scores in the music group during and after the lumbar puncture. Anxiety and fear were also reduced before and after the procedure.
O’Callaghan et al., 2007 [45]	Qualitative case study	Examine how MT serves as a non-pharmacological anxiolytic for paediatric patients receiving radiotherapy.	Australia	Some patients and their families experienced relief during the stressful wait, others showed improvements on a psychosocial level. Communication between patients and their families was expanded. Fears were expressed metaphorically and there were no adverse experiences.
O’Callaghan et al., 2011 [46]	Constructivist design	Analyse the perspectives of paediatric cancer patients and their parents on the role of music and MT in their children’s lives.	Australia	Children’s adverse cancer experiences are often alleviated by using music. Family, social, and electronic musical interactions promoted children’s resilience and normal development.
O’Callaghan et al., 2012 [27]	Constructivist design	Examine the perspectives of adolescents and young adults on the role of music in their lives.	Australia	MT helped support the phases of cancer treatment and post-treatment by improving self-esteem and social, emotional, and cognitive relationships.
O’Callaghan et al., 2013 [28]	Qualitative design	Examine knowledge of music among patients and the relevance of MT in paediatric cancer patients.	Australia	MT was interpreted as a calming factor that relieved distress, promoted supportive relationships, self-care, playful creativity, and hope.
Polat et al., 2015 [50]	Quasi-experimental design	Examine the effects of MT on anxiety in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia undergoing chemotherapy.	Turkey	Anxiety measures were significantly lower in all the patients after the MT intervention in relation to the previous tests.
Robb et al., 2003a [51]	Randomised controlled trial	Examine changes in anxiety and depression levels, according to the phase of bone marrow transplantation, with the use of MT.	USA	The symptoms of depression and anxiety levels varied with the stage of treatment and with the physiological levels of the treatment side effects. Four participants experienced a decrease in anxiety with MT.
Robb et al., 2003b [52]	Randomised controlled trial	Examine the lyrical content of patient-generated songs and compare patient perceptions regarding the effectiveness of a 6-week music experimental condition compared with a no-music condition.	USA	Patients undergoing transplantation who participated in the MT intervention got help to identify and develop their personal strengths in order to deal positively with the stress caused by their disease.
Robb et al., 2008 [26]	Controlled clinical trial	Assess the effectiveness of an AME intervention on three coping-related behaviours (positive facial affect, active engagement, and initiation).	USA	Positive facial effect and active engagement was higher in the group of children with an AME intervention compared with the ML and ASB groups, and the initiation was higher with AME than with ASB.
Robb et al., 2014 [59]	Randomised controlled trial	Examine the efficacy of a TMV intervention performed during the acute phase of patients undergoing stem cell transplantation.	USA	The TMV group reported better coping in the post-intervention and better social and family integration was observed 100 days after the transplant.
Robb et al., 2017 [47]	Randomised controlled trial	Examine the feasibility and acceptability of a AME+P intervention for young children and their parents. Explore changes in child emotional distress and parental emotional distress through an AME+P.	USA	Acceptability was feasible for children but not for parents. Emotional distress was lower for the children in the AME+P group but there were no benefits to parents.
Saghaee-Shahriari et al., 2019 [60]	Quasi-experimental design	Investigate the effectiveness of MT on anxiety sensitivity and self-efficacy in adolescents with leukaemia.	Iran	There was a significant difference in the MT group for anxiety sensitivity and self-efficacy compared to the control group.
Sepúlveda-Vildósola et al., 2014 [53]	Quasi-experimental longitudinal clinical trial	Assess whether MT is effective in reducing the level of anxiety in paediatric cancer patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy.	Mexico	A decrease in anxiety levels was found after the MT intervention.
Tucquet et al., 2014 [54]	Qualitative design	Present the results of a clinical practice review from Australia regarding MT services in hospitals with paediatric cancer patients.	Australia	84% of those surveyed said that MT was a valuable tool, citing distraction from pain and anxiety, psychological improvements, and in self-expression, social relationships, emotional treatment, and better adaptation to hospitalisation.
Uggla et al., 2016 [29]	Randomised controlled trial	Evaluate the previously unexplored effect of MT in children undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation by analysing physiological parameters.	Sweden	Evening heart rates were reduced. There were no significant differences in blood pressure and or oxygen saturation. Stress levels were reduced for 4 to 8 hours, reducing the risk of suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome.
Uggla et al., 2018 [55]	Randomised controlled trial	Assess the effects of MT during and after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.	Sweden	The scale showed that the MT group had a higher estimated physical function at the time of discharge but the decrease in pain was not statistically significant. The control group showed better results after the intervention in every domain.
Uggla et al., 2019 [30]	Qualitative design	Explore the experiences of participants and parents regarding the interactive processes during MT interventions.	Sweden	The participant responses showed positive activations of emotions and bonding, distraction from pain and fear, and better interaction, body and sensory expression, trust, self-security, and ability to disconnect.

AME: active music engagement; AME+P: parent-delivered active music engagement; ASB: audio storybooks; AYA: adolescents/young adults; CD: compact disc; ML: music listening; MT: music therapy; TMV: therapeutic music video; music therapy compact disc (MTCD).