Sahler, O.J.Z., Hunter, B.C., & Liesveld, J.L. (2003). The effect of using music therapy with relaxation imagery in the management of patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation: A pilot feasibility study. Alternative Therapies, 9(6), 70–74.

A 45-minute music-assisted intervention with relaxation imagery sessions was provided twice a week by a trained therapist from the date of enrollment in the study to discharge.

• The sample consisted of 19 patients aged 5–65 years old.
• Sample criteria were bone marrow transplant recipients older than four years of age undergoing active treatment.

The study was conducted at a university bone marrow transplant center.

Patients were undergoing the active treatment phase of care.

The study had a case-controlled, nonrandomized convenience sample design.

Patient self-reported pre- and postintervention nausea and pain on a 0–10 scale. Time to engraftment also was measured.

Nausea, pain, and time to engraftment decreased from pre- to postintervention.

The intervention was implemented successfully with a very ill population (i.e., transplant environment).

• Subjects were not randomized; the study did not inventory personality and other factors that influence bone marrow transplant outcomes.
• The intervention was delayed until after transplantation.
• The frequency of the intervention was lower than planned because of staff perceptions that patients were too sick to participate.
• Time and attention control condition was not provided to the control subjects.