Effectiveness of music therapy for autism spectrum disorder, dementia, depression, insomnia and schizophrenia: update of systematic reviews
Gassner L, Geretsegger M, Mayer-Ferbas J
European journal of public health · 48 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Systematic review (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- University or hospital
- Universität Wien
- University or hospital
- University of Vienna
Based on 2 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2021-03-17 · Eur J Public Health · vol. 32 · issue 1 · pp. 27–34
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Cited
- 122 citations · more than 92% of similar papers · 2.9× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 41 works
- Access
- Open access (hybrid journal) · CC-BY-NC-ND
- Research areas
- Music Therapy and Health · Neuroscience and Music Perception · Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Keywords
- Schizophrenia (object-oriented programming), Psychiatry, Depression (economics), Dementia, Psychology, Music therapy, Insomnia, Autism spectrum disorder, Schizophrenia spectrum, Autism, Clinical psychology, Medicine, Psychosis, Internal medicine
- MeSH
- humans, dementia, sleep initiation and maintenance disorders, music therapy, depression, schizophrenia, quality of life, autism spectrum disorder, systematic reviews as topic
3 authors
From AT, AU, NO
- Lucia Gassner · correspondingUniversity of Vienna; The Royal Melbourne Hospital; Austrian Institute for Health Technology Assessment GmbH
- Monika GeretseggerNORCE Research AS
- Julia Mayer-FerbasAustrian Institute for Health Technology Assessment GmbH
Abstract
Background
Music therapy (MT) aims at maintaining, restoring and furthering physical/emotional/mental health. This review assesses effectiveness of MT and its methods for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), dementia, depression, insomnia and schizophrenia.
Methods
A search for systematic reviews and health technology assessment reports was conducted and yielded 139 hits. Given the large amount, we focused on five frequent diagnostic groups with available Cochrane reviews. A second search was conducted in four databases. Two authors independently performed study selection, data extraction and assessed methodological quality. Only trials with moderate/low risk of bias (RoB) were selected.
Results
Ten randomized controlled trials (1.248 participants) met inclusion criteria. For schizophrenia, no studies with low/moderate RoB were found; therefore, updating was not possible. The Cochrane authors stated that quality of life (QoL), social functioning, global/mental state improved for schizophrenia, but not global functioning. For ASD, MT improved behaviour, social communication, brain connectivity and parent-child relationship. For depression, mood was enhanced, and for insomnia, sleep quality, stress, anxiety, total sleep time, disease severity and psychological QoL improved. MT positively affected mood, neuropsychiatric behaviour, apathy, communication and physical functions for dementia; behavioural/psychological symptoms improved only in severe, and memory and verbal fluency only in mild Alzheimer's disease. Cognition improved for dementia in one of four studies. Both active (playing music) and receptive (listening to music) methods were used for dementia, whereas for ASD and depression, active methods were applied. For insomnia, only receptive methods were used.
Conclusion
These findings provide evidence that MT helps patients improving their physical/psychosocial health. More research investigating long-term effects is needed.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY-NC-ND).
Community trust
Loading…
How much do you trust this study's findings?
Comments
Sign in to rate, comment on or flag this study.Sign inSomething wrong here?
Flag this study if its information, labels or funding look wrong. An editor reviews every flag.
Sign in to rate, comment on or flag this study.Sign inEducational information about published research. Not medical advice, and not a recommendation to start or stop anything.