Effect of Live Music on Anxiety Levels of Persons Waiting in a Surgical Waiting Room as Measured by Self-Report

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of live music on anxiety levels in persons waiting in a surgical waiting room as measured by self-report. One hundred ninety-two (192) subjects over the age of 18 and waiting in a surgical waiting room participated in one of three groups: the direct music group (N = 62), the indirect music group (N = 59), or the control group (N = 71). Subjects in the direct music group were encouraged to request songs during approximately 20 minutes of live music and then asked to provide demographic data and to indicate their anxiety, stress, worry, relaxation and enjoyment levels, and to indicate the extent to which music helped their wait on a Visual Analog Scale. Subjects in the indirect music group were in the room for approximately 20 minutes of live music requested by the direct music group but had no control over music provision. They were asked the same questions, with the addition of whether or not they heard the music. Both groups were also asked if live music was a service the hospital should offer. Subjects in the control group received no live music during their wait in the surgical waiting room and were asked demographic data and to indicate their anxiety, stress, worry, and relaxation levels on a Visual Analog Scale. Results indicated no significant differences in anxiety, stress, and worry levels among the three groups. Subjects in the direct and indirect music groups indicated significantly greater relaxation levels than did the control group. Subjects in the direct music group indicated significantly greater enjoyment than the indirect music group. All subjects who answered the question of whether live music was a service the hospital should offer responded "yes".