Italy advances music therapy for pain, anxiety and preterm infants

In Reggio Emilia, Dr. Mariagrazia Baroni highlighted the growing clinical use of music therapy to reduce anxiety and pain, citing its application in pre‑anesthetic settings at the Policlinico di Bari and its role in postoperative care. Baroni also helped organize the 18th World Congress of Music Therapy in Bologna, where experts discussed the discipline’s evidence base and interdisciplinary collaborations.

A separate review by the Italian Society of Pediatrics examined music therapy in neonatal intensive care. The scoping review of 56 studies and meta‑analysis of 30 trials involving 1,855 preterm infants found consistent physiological benefits such as improved oxygen saturation, heart‑rate stability, respiratory rate, sleep duration and temperature regulation. However, the impact on pain scores was less clear, with mixed results across different musical interventions. The evidence suggests music can be a valuable sensory support for vulnerable newborns, while further standardisation of protocols is needed.