Impacto da Musicoterapia nos Familiares Cuidadores nos Cuidados Paliativos Pediátricos: Uma Revisão Sistemática

Abstract

Context and objective: Pediatric palliative care aims to promote physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being of children with life-limiting illnesses and their families. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions assist in maintaining quality of life throughout the course of the disease. Music therapy, a non-pharmacological intervention, is the clinical use of music interventions by a music therapist within a therapeutic relationship. While there are studies regarding its applicability and impact in pediatric palliative care, these tend to have a more general perspective without deeply exploring the lived experiences of family caregivers. This review aims to synthesize the effect of music therapy on the quality of life of family caregivers of children in pediatric palliative care. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A comprehensive search was performed in January 2025 across the PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases. A total of 688 studies were identified, and those that met the inclusion criteria were selected. Results: The seven included articles consisted of qualitative studies (n=3), quantitative studies (n=1), and mixed-methods studies (n=3). The results indicate that music therapy is associated with positive experiences reported by family members, improved family communication, increased satisfaction with treatment, and the creation of lasting memories and opportunities for legacy building. Additionally, it promotes the quality of life of family caregivers, both during the child's treatment and throughout the grieving process. Conclusions: Despite the methodological variability across the studies analyzed, there is consistency regarding the positive impact of music therapy interventions on the quality of life of family caregivers of children in palliative care.