EVALUATION OF REDUCTION IN ANXIETY LEVELS WITH THE USE OF MUSIC THERAPY -A STUDY ON 5 TO 12 YEAR OLD CHILDREN
Keywords:
Music Therapy Venham's Picture test, Venham's Anxiety Rating ScaleAbstract
Pain and anxiety has been associated with dental treatments in patients of all age groups since centuries. The advent of conscious sedation and general anesthesia in medicine and its use in pediatric dentistry has created possibilities of treating anxious or fearful children. Audio distraction or music therapy is one non-pharmacological modality which aims at making the dental treatment more acceptable to the pediatric patients and their parents.
Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of familiar Gujarati folk music in reducing the level of anxiety as compared to non-familiar vocal music in 5-12 year old boys and girls.
Materials and Methods: The study consisted of 104 children in 5-12 year age group with no previous dental
experience. The children were divided into two groups of 52 children each, one group requiring use of airotor and another requiring local anaesthesia for their treatment. The children in each group were then randomly divided into further two groups of 26 children each, the first group children were made to listen to Gujarati rhymes/folk music while the second group children were made to listen vocal unknown music, Child's anxiety level is assessed by using a combination of Venham's picture test, Venham's anxiety rating scale, pulse rate and oxygen saturation as objective measurements of anxiety level.
Results: A significant reduction in anxiety levels was noted in children of both groups with the use of familiar music therapy as compared to unknown music therapy. However, the anxiety reduction was better in familiar music therapy group as compared to non familiar music therapy group.
Conclusion: Children showed better involvement in the procedure when asked for music selection and given familiar folk song/rhymes music therapy. Hence, familiar music therapy is an effective tool in reducing the anxiety levels in pediatric dental patients in the unfamiliar dental clinical environment.