Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Intervention studies were eligible for inclusion.
Specific interventions included in the review
Studies of preferred or individualised music were eligible for inclusion. Most studies compared preferred music with no music or other types of treatment, including classical music, taped music, family-generated video, social interaction or hand massage. Where stated, music was delivered at fixed times, peak time of agitation, or during bathing time. The intensity ranged from three sessions each day over 3 days to 12 sessions over 6 weeks.
Participants included in the review
Studies of participants with dementia or Alzheimer's disease who also had agitated behaviours were eligible for inclusion. In the included studies, the age of the participants ranged from 69 to 97 years and all participants resided in long-term care facilities.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Explicit inclusion criteria were not reported in terms of the outcomes. The outcome measures used varied and, where stated, included informant ratings (such as the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory), self-developed behavioural checklists and videotaped recordings.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors did not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many reviewers performed the selection.