Evaluating the Impact of Music Therapy on Sleep Behavior in Second-Stage Alzheimer Patients – A Nursing Home Study

Evaluating the Impact of Music Therapy on Sleep Behavior in Second-Stage Alzheimer Patients – A Nursing Home Study

Music therapy is the use of music or musical elements to improve the well-being of others. Music therapy has found considerable use among patients with dementia. Bleibel et al. (2023) note that music therapy lowers patients’ agitation and improves the patient-caregiver relationship. This highlights their use among individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. When researching the effects of music therapy on the sleeping behavior of patients with second-stage Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the ethical principles of beneficence, autonomy, justice, and veracity should be considered.

The principle of beneficence requires the researchers to act in the best interest of the patients. In this respect, the research should justify what benefits it intends to produce on the health outcomes of the patients, as well as how the findings may impact the care process for patients with AD. Sleep disturbances and insomnia are common findings among patients with AD. It contributes to their poor quality of life and is one of the driving factors for cognitive decline among these patients. Research seeking to promote sleep among patients with AD serves their best interest, demonstrating beneficence.

The principle of autonomy defines the right to self-determination. The principle requires that researchers allow research participants to make informed decisions on whether they will participate in the study. Informed consent is required from all research participants to ascertain their understanding of the study, including the potential benefits and harm of the research and their role in the process (Chandra et al., 2021). When researching the effect of musical therapy on the sleeping behavior of patients with AD, the researchers should explain the research objectives and the role of the participants. An informed consent will subsequently obtained from the research participants. The principle of autonomy also demonstrates researchers’ respect for human dignity and privacy. It shows the researcher understands that despite the patient being incarcerated by their illness, they are still human and should thus be addressed respectfully. In this regard, researchers working with patients with dementia should seek to establish a good relationship with the research participants by communicating with them, understanding their needs, and tailoring their language to fit the patient’s preferences.

The principle of veracity requires that the researchers maintain truthfulness when engaging the research participants. An ethical concern when handling patients with dementia is an apparent conflict between maintaining trust between the researcher and the patients and, at the same time, avoiding distress. Failing to tell the truth about the process may undermine the patient’s trust in the research process. It also undermines the integrity of the researcher. It is thus important that the patients participating in the study are educated on the process and accurately and truthfully told the objective of the research.

Informed consent is integral to human research. When working with patients with dementia, obtaining informed consent demonstrates the researchers’ recognition of the principle of autonomy. To obtain informed consent, the researcher will first explain the purpose of the research to the patients before assessing their comprehension of the learned concept. A verbal or written consent form signed by the patients will then be obtained. This process may, however, present considerable difficulties when working on patients with Alzheimer’s and other cases of dementia. The underlying cognitive decline may considerably diminish the capability of the patients to understand aspects of their disease. In this case, third parties with the power of attorney can be used to provide information on the patient.

References

Bleibel, M., El Cheikh, A., Sadier, N. S., & Abou-Abbas, L. (2023). The effect of music therapy on cognitive functions in patients with Alzheimer’s disease: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-023-01214-9

Chandra, M., Harbishettar, V., Sawhney, H., & Amanullah, S. (2021). Ethical issues in dementia research. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 43(5_suppl). https://doi.org/10.1177/02537176211022224

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You are asked to do a study on the effects of Music therapy (listening to CD for 30 minutes before bedtime) on the sleeping behaviors of 2nd stage Alzheimer patients in a nursing home. What ethical principles should be considered in planning and conducting the study? How will you obtain informed consent?

Evaluating the Impact of Music Therapy on Sleep Behavior in Second-Stage Alzheimer Patients – A Nursing Home Study

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