Effectiveness of Music Therapy in People Living with Dementia: An Umbrella Review Protocol

Background: Dementia stands out as a neurological disorder which constitutes a progressive decline in cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and social functioning. However, non-pharmacotherapy, such as music therapy, can be combined with pharmacological treatment as a possible strategy to improve functionality regarding the cognitive and non-cognitive dimensions of people diagnosed with dementia. Objectives: To analyze and synthesize published evidence regarding the effectiveness of music therapy in people diagnosed with dementia, concerning cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes. Design: Descriptive study protocol of an umbrella review. Methods and analysis: An umbrella review method will guide this study, focusing on an extensive search of published systematic reviews and meta-analyses reviews that include randomized controlled trials and other types of trials. Databases for the article search include ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus, and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) EBP database, and EBSCO Host platform (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, and CINAHL). Two reviewers will independently review all titles and abstracts and identify articles considering the inclusion criteria. Afterward, two reviewers will independently extract relevant information from each article for the characterization table, and evaluate the quality of selected articles using the Measurement Tool for Evaluating Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) 2 guideline. Relevance to clinical practice: Data from this study will aid in designing healthcare workers’ training courses, clinical intervention guidelines, and specific intervention protocols that support pharmacological interventions in treating dementia.