The Effects of Recorded Sedative Music on the Physiology and Behaviour of Premature Infants with a Respiratory Disorder‪.‬

Abstract This study tested the safety of using recorded sedative music (RSM with 34-week-old premature infants with a respiratory disorder. Data was collected to measure the effect of RSM on the physiological stability and behaviours of these infants. Twenty-two infants were randomly assigned to one of two groups, the music group or control group. The music group received 20 minutes of recorded music per day for 4 days. The control group received no music for 4 days. Each infant was observed for a total of 45 minutes each day for the 4 days that they participated. The data collectors were unaware of group allocation and listened to masking music when conducting observations. Data measures were heart rate, respiration rate, oxygen saturation, and infant behaviours. The use of RSM had no negative effect on the physiology or behaviour of the infants in the music group. There were no significant differences between the groups with regard to heart rate, respiration rate, or oxygen saturation. Behavioural results also showed no significant differences between the behavioural states of the two groups. The lack of significant results is attributed to a number of factors including a potentially skewed sample and insufficient exposure to the music to establish an effect.