title: The effects of live therapeutic music on patient's affect and perceptions of care: a randomized field study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article examines the effects of live therapeutic music (LTM) on patients in a hospital setting. LTM was hypothesized to directly increase patients' positive affect and to indirectly influence their perceptions of the care they received.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred patients participated in a two group (fifty per group), quasi-experimental design in which they completed a very brief questionnaire assessing their affect and perceptions of care. Half of the participants were exposed to LTM at the bedside. The other half served as a comparison group. A structural equation model was used to test the hypothesized effects of LTM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The model explained 63% of the variance in patient's affect and 10% of the variance in perceptions of care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients respond to LTM with increased positive affect and by assigning higher ratings to the care they receive. LTM could be used as a viable means to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: University of South Florida, College of Nursing, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC Box 22, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. Electronic address: mmogos@health.usf.edu.
authors.forename: Mulubrhan F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mogos
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Angard
authors.forename: Lloyd
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Jason W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Beckstead
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009146:Music; D009147:Music Therapy; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010465:Perception; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Live therapeutic music; Perceptions of care; Positive affect