Interaction-focused music therapy with cancer affected children and their significant others (INMUT)
A randomised controlled feasibility study with subsequent intervention
Project overview
How can we support the lengthy treatment processes of children with cancer and their families? Paediatric oncology patients and their families are at the centre of an existential emergency situation for which music therapy has proven itself as a cross-linguistic field of action: in the creative act of making music, it offers the opportunity to strengthen individual resources and skills and makes socio-psycho-biological conflicts audible and tangible in a very direct way.
In cooperation with the Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at Herdecke Community Hospital and the Nordoff/Robbins Centre for Music Therapy in Witten, we have developed a music therapy concept that specifically addresses family interaction in a multi-person setting. In our randomised controlled feasibility study, we ask ourselves the following questions:
- How can improvements in parent-child interaction be observed in the context of music therapy sessions: especially in more autonomous relationship formation, reciprocal communication and parental emotional resonance?
- What effect does the music therapy process have on various psychotherapeutic aspects: especially the achievement of goals, dealing with difficult situations, quality of life, psychosocial stress, psychosomatic complaints and the system-related level of functioning?
Further information
- Duration: since 2021
- Funding: Heidehof Foundation, internal research funding of the UW/H, German Society for Systemic Therapy, Counselling and Family Therapy (DGSF)
- Responsible: Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy III
- Study locations: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at Herdecke Community Hospital, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at Dortmund Hospital, Vestische Kinder- und Jugendklinik Datteln, Nordoff/Robbins Centre for Music Therapy Witten
Co-operation partners:
Dr Bettina Berger, HerdeckeCommunity Hospital, Witten/Herdecke University
Dr Benedikt Bernbeck, Clinic for Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Dortmund
Christine Gäbel, Institute for Medical Psychology, Heidelberg University Hospital
Prof. Dr Stine Jacobsen, Department of Communication and Psychology, Aalborg Universitet
Prof. Dr Alfred Längler, Herdecke Community Hospital, Witten/Herdecke University
Prof. Dr Lutz Neugebauer, Nordoff-Robbins Zentrum Witten
Prof. Dr Thomas Ostermann, Chair of Research Methodology and Statistics in Psychology, Witten/Herdecke University
Prof. Dr Michael Paulussen, Vestische Kinder- und Jugendklinik Datteln
Prof. Dr Dominik Schneider, Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Dortmund
Rachel Swanick, Here and Now, Manchester
Interprofessionelles Graduiertenkolleg Integrative Medizin und Gesundheitswissenschaften, Witten/Herdecke University
Selected publications
- Boyde, C., Berger, B., Längler, A., Neugebauer, L., Jacobsen, S.L., Swanick, R., Gaebel, C., Schneider, D., Bernbeck, B., Paulussen, M., Ostermann, T. & Hunger-Schoppe, C. (2024). Interaction-focused music therapy with cancer-affected children and their significant others: a randomised controlled feasibility study with subsequent intervention (INMUT). BMC Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 10:86, doi: 10:86 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-024-01490-8
- Boyde, C. & Hunger-Schoppe, C. (2022): Interaction-focused music therapy with cancer affected children and their significant others: a randomised control feasibility study. ClinicalTrials.gov
- Boyde, C., Linden, U., Boehm, K. & Ostermann, T. (2012): The Use of Music Therapy During the Treatment of Cancer Patients: A Collection of Evidence. Global Advances in Health and Medicine, Volume 1, Number 5, pp. 24-29, doi: 10.7453/gahmj.2012.1.5.009
- Ostermann, T., Boyde & C., Linden, U. (2012): Music therapy in the treatment of cancer patients: a systematic review. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2012 12(Suppl 1): P327, doi:10.1186/1472-6882-12-S1-P327
- Linden, U., Boyde, C. & Ostermann, T. (2011): Music therapy in oncology. Journal of Complementary Medicine, 4/2011, pp. 46-51, doi: 10.1055/s-0031-1280089
Book (chapter)
Hunger-Schoppe, C., Immel, N., Boyde, C. & Scholz, S. (2024). Process models and rating scales. In G. Reich, M. Stasch, J. Walter, & M. Cierpka, Handbook of Family Diagnostics (4th ed.). Heidelberg: Springer.
Project management
Univ.-Prof. Dr.
Christina Hunger-Schoppe
Chair holder
Faculty of Health (Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy) | Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy III
Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 44
58455 WittenRoom number: 1.124b
Dipl.-Musikth.
Constance Boyde
Research assistant
Faculty of Health (Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy) | Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy III
Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 44
58455 WittenRoom number: E.060
