Music Is Life—Follow-Up Qualitative Study on Parental Experiences of Creative Music Therapy in the Neonatal Period

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This article communicates the reflections of parents of extremely preterm infants who participated in Creative Music Therapy during their stay on the Neonatal Unit. Participants express in interview their experience of Music Therapy on the unit and consider the effect the sessions had on their lives post-discharge. This is the first study to gather this data retrospectively and discuss the potential positive impact of Music Therapy with this client group. Beginning with a review of current literature, much of which stemming from the primary authors previous research, this article goes on to reinforce existing knowledge on the positive effects of music therapy on extremely preterm infants and their caregivers before extending it and demonstrating the potential longitudinal impact. Haslbeck links themes drawn from interviews to other current neonatal music therapy programs and on going research and demonstrates the need for further large scale research into parental experiences, the impact of music therapy on parental mental health and the need to broaden the implementation of music therapy for all hospitalised neonates.

This is a small scale study with only 6 families interviewed however the diversity of the participants gives it value and indicates reason for further study into the area. The author has clearly made considerable effort into ethical considerations such as language barriers and ensuring that families were supported to speak freely through the use of an independent interviewer.

• There is a minor error on line 8 of section 4:3 : "CMT on the part if parents'
• In the introduction the opening statement in both the first and second paragraphs could be backed with references.

Author Response

Response to reviewer 1:

Dear reviewer,

thank you so much for your appreciating comments and valuable minor revision suggestions. We appreciate your support and time effort. We addressed all issues raised and enclosed our responses to your comments below. In addition, the changes in the manuscript are highlighted.

• There is a minor error on line 8 of section 4:3 : "CMT on the part if parents'

We corrected to:

“CMT on the part of parents”

• In the introduction the opening statement in both the first and second paragraphs could be backed with references.

We added two references:

1) Chawanpaiboon S, Vogel JP, Moller AB, Lumbiganon P, Petzold M, Hogan D, et al. Global, regional, and national estimates of levels of preterm birth in 2014: a systematic review and modelling analysis. Lancet Glob Heal. 2019;7:e37–46.

2)  Schappin R, Wijnroks L, Uniken Venema MM a T, Jongmans MJ. Rethinking Stress in Parents of Preterm Infants: A Meta-Analysis. PLoS One. 2013;8.

Reviewer 2 Report

Music is Life: Follow-up Qualitative Study on Parental Experiences of Creative Music Therapy in the Neonatal Period

Haslbeck et al.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Dear Authors,

Your article is well written, with clear descriptions of your research methodology and thorough discussion of your results. Your project was well designed. Your article may be used to inform the clinical work of music therapists and to guide implementation of music therapy programs in neonatal departments of hospitals.

I have 2 comments for you to consider:

1. Page 14: Second paragraph. Following “Time Together” quote [49]

Please clarify: Are you recommending psycho-education be provided prior to MT or in addition to MT?

2. Above paragraph. Last sentence: “Moreover, all parents reported that they are dong well with no indications for longitudinal psychological distress in contrast to reports in the literature [11,51].

Did your exclusion criteria eliminate families who could potentially have long-term psychological stress?

Minor Typo: Page 15: First paragraph: “if” parents should be “of” parents

1. the positive experience of CMT on the part OF parents….

Author Response

Response to reviewer 2:

Dear reviewer,

thank you so much for your appreciating comments and valuable minor revision suggestions. We appreciate your support and time effort. We addressed all issues raised and enclosed our responses to your comments below. In addition, the changes in the manuscript are highlighted.

1. Page 14: Second paragraph. Following “Time Together” quote [49]

Edited to reference 49: Shoemark 2021

Please clarify: Are you recommending psycho-education be provided prior to MT or in addition to MT?

Clarified:… such as that anticipated when using CMT to enhance parental sensitivity [26, 44].

1. Above paragraph. Last sentence: “Moreover, all parents reported that they are dong well with no indications for longitudinal psychological distress in contrast to reports in the literature [11,51].

Did your exclusion criteria eliminate families who could potentially have long-term psychological stress?

Clarified: Moreover, all parents reported that they are doing well with no indications for longitudinal psychological distress in contrast to study results on remaining long-term parenting stress of parents with similar inclusion criteria.

Minor Typo: Page 15: First paragraph: “if” parents should be “of” parents

1. the positive experience of CMT on the part OF parents….

Corrected: “CMT on the part of parents”