PURPOSE: Preoperative anxiety remains a critical concern in pediatric anesthesia, often worsening surgical outcomes and complicating postoperative recovery. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate whether music therapy, as a nonpharmacological intervention, effectively reduces preoperative anxiety in children undergoing anesthesia.
DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
METHODS: Studies examining the impact of music therapy on preoperative anxiety in pediatric patients were systematically identified, screened, and selected for inclusion. Data from eligible studies were synthesized using a random-effects model to assess the pooled effect size, with sensitivity analyses performed to verify result stability. Publication bias across the included studies was also investigated to ensure reliability of the findings.
FINDINGS: The analysis included 7 studies comprising a total of 440 pediatric participants. Findings indicated that music therapy led to a statistically significant reduction in anxiety levels, yielding a moderate effect size (standardized mean difference = -0.48; 95% confidence interval, -0.81 to -0.15; I<sup>2</sup> = 65.6%). Sensitivity analyses demonstrated consistent results, as the removal of individual studies did not significantly alter the overall effect estimate. Additionally, no substantial publication bias was detected, supporting the validity of the meta-analysis.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings strongly endorse music therapy as an effective nonpharmacological strategy for managing preoperative anxiety in pediatric patients undergoing anesthesia. With a statistically significant moderate reduction in anxiety observed, music therapy emerges as a valuable tool for improving the perioperative experience and potentially enhancing recovery outcomes in pediatric surgical care.
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