Introduction: Increasing attention is being paid to a variety of non-pharmacological interventions for reduction of preoperative anxiety such as music therapy, music medicine interventions, and visual imagery technique for the children undergoing surgeries. Method: Randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the effectiveness of music therapy with conventional intervention on preoperative anxiety with total 24 children undergoing surgeries, aged between 4 to 12 years. Samples were equally distributed to 2 groups (12 in each group). Experimental group received prerecorded instrumental music for 15 to 30 minutes duration minimum 3 times a day, along with conventional interventions and control group received conventional interventions. Hamilton anxiety rating scale was used to measure the preoperative anxiety level. Data was computed in SPSS-16 Result: The mean and SD score of pre and post test in experimental group and control group was 7 ±3.43, 1.67 ±2.06 and 19.67 ±14.88, 19.08 ±12.12 respectively. The percentage of effect was 76.1 % and 2.89% in experimental and control group respectively. The effect size of the music therapy was 1.88. (Cohen’sD). So the intervention was effective in reducing anxiety level of the children preoperatively. Conclusion: The music therapy could be passive or active type but if it is based on child preference it will have very good impact on reducing anxiety level of the child and it will keep the children relaxed before going to surgery.

Keywords: Music therapy conventional interventions, preoperative anxiety and children undergoing surgeries.