Effects of Music Therapy on Drug Therapy of Adult Psychiatric Outpatients: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study.

Mario Degli Stefani,Michele Biasutti

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01518

Abstract

Objective: Framed in the patients’ engagement perspective, the current study aims to determine the effects of group music therapy in addition to drug care in comparison with drug care in addition to other non-expressive group activities in the treatment of psychiatric outpatients.Method: Participants (n = 27) with ICD-10 diagnoses of F20 (schizophrenia), F25 (schizoaffective disorders), F31 (bipolar affective disorder), F32 (depressive episode), and F60 (specific personality disorders) were randomized to receive group music therapy plus standard care (48 weekly sessions of 2 h) or standard care only. The clinical measures included dosages of neuroleptics, benzodiazepines, mood stabilizers, and antidepressants.Results: The participants who received group music therapy demonstrated greater improvement in drug dosage with respect to neuroleptics than those who did not receive group music therapy. Antidepressants had an increment for both groups that was significant only for the control group. Benzodiazepines and mood stabilizers did not show any significant change in either group.Conclusion: Group music therapy combined with standard drug care was effective for controlling neuroleptic drug dosages in adult psychiatric outpatients who received group music therapy. We discussed the likely applications of group music therapy in psychiatry and the possible contribution of music therapy in improving the psychopathological condition of adult outpatients. In addition, the implications for the patient-centered perspective were also discussed.

Highlights

It is well known that music is connected to mood and that a certain piece of music can make people feel blessed, sad, lively, or relaxed (Biasutti, 2015a)
The present study evaluated the effects of a music therapy intervention on drug dosages in adult psychiatric outpatients
A more extensive explanation is due to the nature of neuroleptics that are used in the treatment of schizophrenia and in diseases such as bipolar disorder, depressive episodes with psychotic onset, and personality disorders

Summary

Introduction

It is well known that music is connected to mood and that a certain piece of music can make people feel blessed, sad, lively, or relaxed (Biasutti, 2015a). Music Therapy on Drug Therapy in Psychiatry are categorized as expressive therapies and non-verbal techniques for facilitating, expanding and shaping patients’ expression and communication modes (Manarolo, 2005). The improvement of these skills provide patients with a comfort zone in which to express themselves while developing confidence and self-efficacy. Jung and Newton (2009) performed a comparative analysis of the existing literature using the Cochrane database to explore the effects of 28 alternative therapies for schizophrenia, psychosis, and bipolar disorder They noted that music therapy is one of the four most effective interventions in psychiatry. Other research has considered the effectiveness of music therapy on patients’ quality of life and spirituality (Grocke et al, 2014), among schizophrenic in-patients needing acute care to reduce negative symptoms and improve interpersonal contact (Ulrich et al, 2007), and for reducing patients’ depression (Erkkilä et al, 2011)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion