The effectiveness of music therapy group in elders with depression

Abstract

Music exhibits its unique properties as a sound stimulus, aesthetic phenomenon, form of social communication, and channel for expressing emotion and finding meaning (Ruud, 2001). Music therapy can be considered as an alternative approach to treating geriatric depression. However, a systematic review, Maratos et al., (2008), maintained that whether music therapy was effective for depression could not be verified because of various limitations in previous studies.

Using control group comparison, this study examined the effectiveness of music therapy groups regarding elderly people with depression, primarily focusing on depression level and affects, and mood states; life satisfaction and social interaction were also explored. Five psychological measurement tools (Geriatric Depression Scale [GDS], Positive and Negative Affectivity Schedule [PANAS], Face Scale [FS], Life Satisfaction Scale[LSS],and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]) and objective biomedical methods (i.e., measuring blood pressure and heart rate)were used. Additionally, a music therapy-based assessment, the Nordoff–Robbins Scale [NRS], measured the musical communicativeness of the participants. A multidimensional analysis was adopted at physiological, syntactical, semantic, and pragmatic levels.

A total of 85 participants were randomised into experimental and control groups. Statistically significant results were found for score improvement on the GDS, negative affect in PANAS and FS in music therapy groups. Using qualitative feedback, music alleviated depressive symptoms and negative affect in older adults with depression. Whilst making music, physiological changes occurred in the participants, whereby measured decreases in heart rate were statistically significant in each session. Regarding sleep quality and life satisfaction, positive changes were observed without significance. Although the between-group effect for the experimental and control groups was not statistically significant, this study yielded improvements for various parameters.

The study was valuable, especially in a local context, because it established strong evidence in multiple domains of the positive effects of using music as an intervention approach for older adults with depression, and can contribute to future studies in related areas.