Virtual personalized music relaxation for anxiety in young cancer survivors
Official title: Determining the Feasibility of Virtual Tailored, Music-Based Relaxation for Anxiety Among Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors.
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11194329 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This eight-week online program offers individualized music-based relaxation sessions led by a music therapist to help adolescent and young adult cancer survivors manage anxiety.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $291,294 |
| NIH project number | 5R34CA286712-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11194329 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescent and young adult cancer survivors (roughly ages 15–39) who are experiencing clinically relevant anxiety and can participate in online sessions are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without significant anxiety, those who require intensive psychiatric treatment, or those unable to use virtual audio sessions (for example, due to severe hearing loss or no internet access) may not benefit from this intervention.
What this research studies
You would join an eight-week, virtual program with about 45 minutes of tailored music-relaxation work each week delivered by a board-certified music therapist. The therapist creates personalized music experiences to build self-awareness and teach music-based coping skills you can use when anxiety or fear of recurrence arises. This R34 grant is testing whether the TiMBRe approach can be delivered remotely and is practical for adolescent and young adult (15–39) cancer survivors with clinically relevant anxiety. If the remote delivery is feasible, the team plans a larger randomized trial to measure whether the approach reduces anxiety and improves quality of life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide a convenient, non-drug way for survivors to reduce anxiety and improve coping after cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Music-based interventions have reduced anxiety in adults with cancer, but few trials have included adolescents and young adults, so this tailored virtual approach is promising but relatively novel for this age group.
Where this research is happening
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University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Knoerl, Robert James — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Knoerl, Robert James
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Virtual tailored, music-based relaxation for anxiety in teenage and young adult cancer survivors
A doctor-led plan will test a 8-week, online music-based relaxation program to help anxiety in adolescents and young adults who have survived cancer.
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Using virtual music therapy to help reduce anxiety in young cancer survivors.
This study is testing a fun online music program called TiMBRe to help young cancer survivors feel less anxious and improve their well-being, with the support of a music therapist over eight weeks.
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A web toolkit to ease anxiety and emotional distress for older rural cancer survivors
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.