The Effect of Listening to Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major on Anxiety Level during Pulmonary Rehabilitation: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective: Many patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) feel anxious during the pulmonary rehabilitation process. How to reduce the anxious level in patients with COPD is a worthy issue for mental health. Johann Pachelbel’s Canon is a commonly used musical material in clinical practice. In this pilot study, we intended to investigate the effectiveness of using Pachelbel’s Canon in D major as a music therapy to reduce anxiety levels in patients receiving pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: Fifty patients with COPD receiving pulmonary rehabilitation from a hospital in New Taipei City. They were randomly assigned in blocks for two groups, control group in a quiet environment, and experimental group listened to the Pachelbel’s canon in D major. Results: A significant difference in the anxiety score during pulmonary rehabilitation between the experimental group and the control group was found through an independent sample t-test in this study (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Listening to the music of Pachelbel’s canon in D Major decreased the anxiety level of patients with COPD during pulmonary rehabilitation.

Keywords

• chronic obstruction pulmonary disease; mental health; music listening; music therapy