Effects of group music therapy on symptoms and functional recovery in outpatients with chronic psychoses: A randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT

Introduction

In cases of schizophrenia and other psychoses, a comprehensive strategy that combines psychopharmacology with psychosocial interventions is often used to address symptoms, cognitive deficits, social functioning, and quality of life. The aim of this research was to carry out a randomized controlled trial to determine the effects of a music therapy (MT) treatment protocol on quality of life (primary outcome), symptoms, self-esteem, internalized stigma, social cognition, and social functioning (secondary outcomes), when implemented in combination with standard pharmacological and psychosocial rehabilitation (treatment as usual, TAU).

Method

Sixty clinically stable outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia and other psychoses were randomly allocated to one of two groups: One group was administered TAU (n = 30) and the other TAU + MT (n = 30). The MT component consisted of 22 sessions of evidence-based MT. Outcome measures were obtained before and after treatment using a masked assessment process.

Results

A total of 57 participants completed the study. All participants were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Differences between the groups were observed for internalized stigma (η²=.46), social functioning (η²=.18) and quality of life (η²=.25), with the TAU + MT group showing significantly greater improvements than the control group.

Discussion

The results obtained support the benefits of incorporating a MT treatment protocol as a complementary therapy to standard treatment.

KEYWORDS:

• Music therapy
• schizophrenia
• psychosis
• adjunct therapy
• recovery

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the people who have participated in this study, to CREAP staff and Lynne Coppillie for her help with the language of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Supplementary data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/08098131.2023.2257296.

Notes

1. The National Reference Centre for Psychosocial Care of Severe Mental Disorders, dependent of the Institute for Older Persons and Social Services (IMSERSO), is ascribed to the Health, Social Rights and Agenda 2030 Ministry (Government of Spain). The professionals appearing in this research, working in the technical and knowledge management services developed in the CREAP, have been external personnel to the IMSERSO providing their services in the framework of a public contract.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from Special Actions of the University of Valencia [number UV-INV_AE19-1199985].

Notes on contributors

Óscar Pérez-Aguado

Oscar Pérez-Aguado (PhD) is a psychologist, accredited music therapist, and he is also Benenzon’s non-verbal music therapy master. He is an adjunct professor in the Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatments at the University of Valencia, Spain. He is also head of the psychology department at “Grupo 5 Acción y Gestión Social” providing their services at CREAP, dependent of IMSERSO, that is ascribed to the Health, Social Rights and Agenda 2030 Ministry (Government of Spain).

Sergio Lacamara

Sergio Lacamara is employed as a psychologist at the Fundación Rey Ardid (Zaragoza, Spain).

Juan C. Ruiz

Juan C. Ruiz is Associate Professor in the Department of Methodology of the Behavioral Sciences at the University of Valencia (Spain). He teaches Research Methods in undergraduate degree studies, in the Master’s Degree in General Health Psychology and in the Master’s Degree in Specialization in Logopedic Intervention. He also teaches in the Doctorate Programme in Clinical and Health Psychology. He is the director of the research group “Psychological assessment and intervention in cognition in mental disorder” (TMEIC) and his research activity focuses on the study of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, the optimization of stimuli material for the study of implicit memory in these patients, and in the development of reduced forms of the WAIS. He publishes in journals such as Behavior Research Methods, Frontiers in Psychology and Psychiatry Research. Here you can find some of his publications Research ID.

Carmen Dasí

Carmen Dasí (Ph.D.) is a psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Methodology of Behavioral Sciences at the University of Valencia in Spain. Her teaching responsibilities include Psychology degree courses and the Master in Clinical and Health Psychology. Her research focuses on psychological assessment and intervention in various contexts, including educational, clinical, and community settings. She has extensive experience in designing, implementing and evaluating programs for a variety of different client populations including patients with schizophrenia. She has published more than 60 articles in journals in the field of methodology, psychology and psychiatry, and also conducted research on numerous projects funded at both the state and regional levels. She has published a number of books and book chapters relevant to her teaching and research activities.

Pau Soldevila-Matias

Pau Soldevila-Matias is a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and MSc in General Psychology Health at the University of Valencia (UV) and MSc in Clinical Neuropsychology. He currently works as a professor in the Basic Psychology department at University of Valencia. Pau does research in clinical Psychology and he works as a clinical psychologist in a private clinic. In the last years he focused on his career researching at Biomedical Health Research Institute (INCLIVA) belonging to the Clinic University Hospital of Valencia and the Biomedical Research in the Mental Health Network (CIBERSAM) applying Psychological and Neuropsychological assessment in First Episode Psychotic (FEP). He worked at Hospital in Neurorehabilitation in Aarhus (Denmark) working in the department of psychology and also in Norhtwell Health Hospital in New York (USA) promoting wellness and to reintegrate psychotic patients back into the community to work, socialize, and live independently. Featured research section on the page https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Pau-Matias.

Inmaculada Fuentes-Durá

Inmaculada Fuentes-Durá is Associate Professor in the Department of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatments at the University of Valencia (Spain). She teaches about recovery in psychosis in the Master’s Degree in General Health Psychology and in the Master’s Degree in Psychological Intervention in the Social Environment. She also teaches in the Doctorate Programme in Clinical and Health Psychology. Inmaculada’s scientific career has been linked from the beginning to research in evaluation and intervention in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder researching at Biomedical Health Research Institute (INCLIVA) belonging to the Clinic University Hospital of Valencia and the Biomedical Research in the Mental Health Network (CIBERSAM). She publishes in journals such as Psychiatry Research, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders, Journal of Affective Disorders and Frontiers in Psychiatry. Here you can find some of her publications https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/E-6256-2016.