Comparison of the Effect of Massage and Music on Fatigue in Mothers With Premature Newborns Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of massage and music on fatigue in mothers with preterm newborns in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Methods: This study was a clinical trial with a crossover design which was conducted in Valiye Asr Hospital, Tehran, Iran. A convenience sample of 41 mothers with hospitalized premature neonates in the NICU were randomly assigned to massage -first or music -first groups. Both groups received music and massage, but in different orders. Fatigue was measured using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory before and after interventions. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 and repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: The mean +/- SD Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory scores after music, massage, and control measurements were, respectively, 66.90 +/- 6.23, 55.78 +/- 6.65, and 54.71 +/- 6.81. Results of the analysis of variance indicated that there was a significant difference in mean fatigue score between the control group and after both music and massage (P < .001). However, there was no significant difference between the music and massage groups (P = .780). Conclusion: In this sample of participants, massage and music reduced fatigue in mothers who had preterm newborns in the NICU.