title: An Investigation of Patient Preferences for Music Played Before Electroconvulsive Therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients often feel anxious before electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which can lead to avoidance of treatments. Music is a noninvasive safe option to reduce anxiety in the preoperative setting. Therefore, we examined patients' preferences of listening to music while receiving ECT by providing music-by way of headphones or speakers-to participants before treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients receiving ECT were recruited for this study. Patients served as their own controls in 3 separate music intervention sessions: 1) randomization to music via headphones or speakers, 2) no music, 3) the remaining music intervention. Patients completed a questionnaire related to satisfaction and preferences of music being played before ECT. Patients received a final questionnaire at the end of the study asking which intervention they preferred.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty patients completed the study. Ninety percent enjoyed listening to music through speakers. Eighty percent liked listening to music through headphones. Seventeen percent preferred not having any music. The difference in preference between speakers and headphones was not significant (P = 0.563; McNemar-Bowker test). There was no association between preference at the end of the study and the initial assignment of speakers or headphones (P = 0.542 and P = 0.752, respectively; Pearson χ tests). No adverse events were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Music is a low-cost intervention with virtually no side effects that could be offered as an adjunctive therapy for patients receiving ECT. A significant proportion of patients liked hearing music before treatment.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Anesthesiology, University of Vermont Medical Center; and †University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT; ‡Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego, CA; and §Departments of Psychiatry and Family Medicine, University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT.
authors.forename: Veena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Graff
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wingfield
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rabinowitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music / Q000523:psychology*; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D055815:Young Adult