The effect of single sessions of music therapy on the level of anxiety in older persons with psychiatric disorders : a pilot study : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Therapy at the New Zealand School of Music, Wellington, New Zealand
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Date
2009
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Massey University
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Abstract
This pilot study examined the effects of single sessions of music therapy on the level of
anxiety in older persons with psychiatric disorders. The studied intervention was a 30
minute music therapy group and the control intervention was a verbal therapeutic
intervention in the form of a reminiscence group. Participants acted as their own control.
The measurement tool was the state part of a “State Trait Anxiety Inventory”. It was
administered a total of four times, pre- and post- the music therapy intervention and preand
post- the reminiscence therapy (control) group. A total of 9 participants were
recruited for the study. The results indicated that single sessions of music therapy
significantly reduced the level of anxiety for older persons with psychiatric disorders
[t(8)=4.626, p<0.0017] as compared to the control intervention as measured by the state
part of the “State Trait Anxiety Inventory”. There was no evidence for a significant
carryover effect since the baselines prior to each intervention did not differ significantly
(p=0.55). These results can be considered to be a part of a pilot study and early inquiry
into this field since methodological difficulties and the time limitation of the research
resulted in some necessary deviations from the original protocol. A major limitation of
the study was the choice of a measurement tool, which required the client to be
cognitively high functioning. Thus these results are limited to cognitively able clients,
which is a relatively small proportion of this client group that could potentially benefit
from music therapy. It is suggested that for future research with this client group the
measured variable be physical relaxation, rather than anxiety.
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Keywords
Music therapy for older people, Anxiety, Mental illness treatment