The Singing Unit – a pilot study investigating the efficacy of a music therapy singing intervention in a local neonatal unit to support parent/infant bonding and reduce parental anxiety

This mixed-methods pilot study involved the parents of premature infants in a neonatal unit. It explored the impact of parental participation in a singing workshop facilitated by an NICU trained music therapist. This was followed by encouragement to hum or sing with their babies while in the unit. The study showed that after the workshop and hospital stay, a statically significant increase in parental wellbeing occurred. The differences for a reduction in parental anxiety and improved parental bonding were not statistically significant, but may suggest trends for improvement in these areas. This low intensity cost-effective intervention then has demonstrated efficacy in the area of parental wellbeing.